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MIT unveils organic battery for EV, reducing reliance on costly cobalt
Industry News- Jan 23,24
Cobalt, a crucial element in most lithium-ion batteries, poses considerable financial, environmental, and social challenges. Its extraction often involves hazardous conditions and environmental contamination.
MIT researchers have introduced a groundbreaking lithium-ion battery poised to revolutionise the Electric Vehicle (EV) industry. This innovative battery design aims to diminish the EV's dependence on scarce and expensive metals, particularly cobalt. The novel cathode, built from organic materials, provides a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for powering electric vehicles.
Cobalt, a crucial element in most lithium-ion batteries, poses considerable financial, environmental, and social challenges. Its extraction often involves hazardous conditions and environmental contamination. Additionally, cobalt's scarcity and concentration in politically unstable regions contribute to price volatility.
As the demand for EVs rises, the quest for alternatives to cobalt becomes increasingly urgent. MIT chemists, led by Mircea Dinca, the W.M. Keck Professor of Energy, have developed a battery material presented in a study published in ACS Central Science. This cathode, composed of layers of TAQ, an organic small molecule, boasts a structure similar to graphite, featuring quinones and amines that create robust hydrogen bonds. These bonds enhance the material's stability and insolubility, preventing dissolution into the electrolyte. This characteristic extends the battery's lifespan, allowing it to endure over 2,000 charge cycles with minimal degradation.
Remarkably, the performance of this organic-based battery matches that of traditional cobalt-containing batteries in terms of conductivity, storage capacity, and charging rates. In fact, the TAQ cathode exhibits faster charging and discharging capabilities, potentially accelerating the EV charging process.
To enhance the cathode's adherence to the battery's current collector and prevent cracking during charging, the researchers introduced fillers such as cellulose and rubber. These additives make up less than one-tenth of the cathode composite, ensuring they have minimal impact on the battery's storage capacity.
The primary materials needed for manufacturing this cathode—quinone and amine precursors—are readily available and produced as commodity chemicals. The estimated material cost for assembling these organic batteries is about one-third to one-half that of cobalt batteries, making them an attractive option for the EV market.
Lamborghini has already secured the patent for this technology, and the MIT team is actively exploring further advancements in battery materials, including potential replacements for lithium with more abundant elements like sodium or magnesium.
Source: India Today
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