A better alternative for lithium-ion batteries has been discovered. In addition, the new batteries are eco-friendly and are reportedly "immortal."
What Is Oxygen-Ion Battery?
Researchers from the Vienna University of Technology have developed a new kind of battery that is far better than the popular lithium-ion batteries in terms of sustainability. Also, oxygen-ion batteries can be produced without rare elements and are made of incombustible materials, making them an excellent solution for large energy storage systems.
The Center for Chemical Technologies and Analytics at the Technical University of Vienna's Alexander Schmid said they have a lot of experience with ceramic materials that can be used for fuel cells, which inspired them to look into whether these materials would also help create batteries, ScienceDaily reported.
The TU Wien team explored ceramic materials that can take in and release doubly negatively charged oxygen ions. When an electric voltage is applied, the oxygen ions move from one ceramic material to another. They may also be induced to go backward, producing an electric current.
According to Prof. Jürgen Fleig, the lithium-ion battery and this underlying idea are extremely similar. However, there are some significant advantages to their materials. As ceramics are not combustible, fire incidents-which frequently involve lithium-ion batteries, which are all but eliminated.
Also, there is no requirement for rare materials, which are expensive or can only be harvested detrimentally to the environment.
According to Tobias Huber, using ceramic materials has a lot of benefits in this regard because they are highly adaptable. Some difficult-to-get components can be replaced with other, more accessible ones. Lanthanum is neither particularly rare nor entirely ubiquitous and is still used in the battery prototype. But, even lanthanum will be replaced with a less expensive material, and work on this has already begun. There is no use of nickel or cobalt, frequently found in batteries.
Best Factors of Oxygen-Ion Batteries
Its most significant benefit is its lifespan, according to Alexander Schmid. With most batteries, the problem is that, at some point, the charge carriers can no longer move. After several charging cycles, its charging capacity diminishes until it can no longer be used to generate electricity.
In contrast, the oxygen-ion battery can be easily recharged since any oxygen lost through side reactions may be easily made up for by oxygen from the surrounding air. Will Locket of Medium said oxygen-ion batteries are a "game-changer" because they are "eco-friendly" and "immortal."
Like lithium-ion batteries, oxygen-ion batteries lose a little oxygen each time they charge or discharge. However, they can replenish the supply as oxygen in the atmosphere diffuses them, keeping the oxygen ions level topped up no matter what.
Additionally, oxygen-ion batteries are cheaper, safer, and more eco-friendly. They are made from simple materials, thanks to their ability to absorb oxygen.
However, they are not intended for smartphones and electric cars because oxygen-ion batteries only achieve a third of lithium-ion batteries' energy density and run at temperatures between 200 and 400 °C. But the technology is extremely interesting for storing energy.
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