Running Head: Battery Efficiency
A Battery That Charges in Seconds
Abstract
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For a number of years scientists have been troubled by the problem of increasing energy efficiency in electric devices. For some, this has led to improvements, for others, it has proven that there is still long way to go in regard to technological challenges. This article examines recent innovation in nanotechnology that could roll out a new era in the manufacturing of energy efficient batteries. Even with this innovation, there are still some hurdles which are to be overcome.
The batteries developed by Professor Paul Braun (year of publication) are similar to other batteries but have inherent capabilities that are unsurpassed by others. This was from a study conducted at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Braun and his group came up with three dimensional (3D) nanostructures for making battery cathodes which enable faster charging or discharging without depletion of stored energy. The findings of this study were published on 20th March in the journal article in Nature Nanotechnology (online version). Besides finding use in a wide range of electronics, batteries of this kind of capability to release energy first enough and to be recharged in a second are highly suitable for medical devices, electric automobiles, military, and laser applications. This innovation could be beneficial for making phones that charge in few seconds or laptops that take minutes to charge (Zhang, Yu & Braun, 2011).
Talking of the efficiency of the innovation, several sentiments have been observed by various stakeholders. Braun who is a professor of material science commented that:
This system that we have gives you capacitor-like power with battery-like energy…most capacitors store very little energy. They can release it very fast, but they can’t hold much. Most batteries store a reasonably large amount of energy, but they can’t provide or receive energy rapidly. This does both. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2011, para 4)
To appreciate the level of innovation that has been brought to light by Braun’s group, it would be better to differentiate between the charging capacity of the new invention and that of a normal battery. Even though capacitors are easier to charge and discharge they can not be reliably used in supplying higher quantities of power since their charges are only held on the surface metallic plates which provide limited storage area. Batteries, on the contrary have a greater storage capacity within them in their cathodes made of oxides of phosphate compounds. However, since these compounds are not good conductors of electricity, charging or discharging a battery is time consuming. Typical nickel metal hydride (NiMH) or Lithium ion (Li-ion) rechargeable batteries exhibit significant degradation of performance following constant charging and discharging (Zhang, Yu & Braun, 2011).
Researchers have for many years attempted to solve this difficulty by integrating electric conductors in the cathode compounds. However, this limits the capacity of the battery by reducing the volume of the material used. According to the research findings published in March’s Nature Nanotechnology, Paul Braun, a material scientist at the University of Illinois came up with a novel idea of going round this problem. They came up with nano metallic structure with so many tiny crevices that could allow refilling with materials for storing charges; this reduces the distance taken by electron to reach the metallic plates for external conduction (Cartlidge, 2011).
The batteries’ electrodes were made of minute polystyrene spheres applied on the surface 100 nanometers across. These spheres were then packed into a regular structure with the gap between them laced with nickel and then dipped in polystyrene. The final structure was a 3D metal device which had to be remodeled to increase its metallic component to 6 percent of the volume used. Trying to come up with such a uniform lattice structure through other strategies is quite cumbersome and unworkable, but the polystyrene spheres automatically set themselves in place. This technique was used to make cathodes for metal hydride batteries, especially those containing lithium or nickel ions used in a number of appliances such as cell phones and laptops.
There is high possibility of these batteries to be used in electric automobiles due to their greater electric potential. Most electric automobiles are limited by the battery’s short life and recharging time. For instance, long distance journeys may require constant recharging for long hours for the battery to last for at least 100 miles (Cartlidge, 2011). Braun observed that:
If you had the ability to charge rapidly, instead of taking hours to charge the vehicle you could potentially have vehicles that would charge in similar times as needed to refuel a car with gasoline…If you had five-minute charge capability, you would think of this the same way you do an internal combustion engine. You would just pull up to a charging station and fill up (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2011, par. 8).
As realized by Braun and his group, lithium-ion battery surpasses any device in the current market since it can charge and discharge 100 times faster. It also has a larger storage capacity as compared to normal batteries (approximately 10-20%). The researchers are looking forward to integrating the technology into the manufacture of batteries on a commercial scale. This will involve increasing the size of the batteries from the normal watch-size by scaling up the technology (Cartlidge, 2011). Braun who is also an affiliate member of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Illinois and Material Research Laboratory was so optimistic about the innovation. “We like that it’s very universal, so if someone comes up with better battery chemistry, this concept applies,” he said. “This is not linked to one very specific kind of battery, but rather it’s a new paradigm in thinking about a battery in three dimensions for enhancing properties.” (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2011, par. 14)
This innovation was however met by criticism from different people. For instance, according to Yury Gogotsi, who is a material scientist at the Drexel University Philadelphia, Braun’s work was a major step in the use of available materials; however the ability of the battery to withstand frequent charging and discharging is still questionable. He also questions the idea of scaling up since the new battery could only be advantageous for high rate performance, efforts should be put in making 3D electrodes. There was also a challenge with the charging equation as it will require too much ampicity (that is the carrying capacity of amperes) to be conducted through cables. In other words, there must be a balance between achievement of high voltage (through reduction of cable mass) and increase of charging time. Longer charging time will help reduce the mass of the cables used (Cartlidge, 2011).
It is evident that the new batteries are quite energy efficient however, the questions raised by the critics must be looked into. The balance between high performance rate and the longer time for charging will continue to be a confounding problem if these issues are not addressed. Nonetheless, Braun’s innovation is fundamental step in the application of nanotechnology in solving the problem of energy inefficiency in batteries.
Work cited
Cartlidge, E. (2011). A Battery That Charges in Seconds. ScienceNow. Retrieved March 28, 2011, from; <http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/03/a-battery-that-charges-in-second.html?ref=hp>
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2011, March 21). Batteries charge quickly and retain capacity, thanks to new structure. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2011, from; <http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:PstlIecxE34J:www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2011/03/110320164225.htm+research+article+on+a+battery+that+charges+in+seconds%2BNature+Nanotechnology&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ke&client=opera&source=www.google.co.ke>
Zhang, H., Yu, X. & Braun, P.V. (2011). Three-dimensional bicontinuous ultrafast-charge and -discharge bulk battery electrodes. Nature Nanotechnology.[T1]
This essay does describe the research that is taking place into the particular subject. It does so in a well organize manner. The issue with this essay is twofold: it is missing a comparison between the original study and the Science Daily article, thus not actually checking the verity of the popular venue article; and it needs greater attention to citations as well as formatting practices within APA style: the Abstract is missing entirely and the references page entries must be checked and supplied with the information that is missing. Within the text itself, you must cite appropriately as well. Check OWL at Purdue for the correct manner of going about this.
Overall, this is a good effort that needs more attention to the assignment guidelines and APA formatting.
Grade: B / 80
[T1]This entry is missing the Volume, Issue, and page range numbers. These need to be included in all journal citations.
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