“Nanoscoops” Could Spark New Generation of Electric Automobile Batteries

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ^ | January 4, 2011 | Unknown

[decimon]

New Nanoengineered Batteries Developed at Rensselaer Exhibit Remarkable Power Density, Charging More Than 40 Times Faster Than Today’s Lithium-ion Batteries

An entirely new type of nanomaterial developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute could enable the next generation of high-power rechargeable lithium (Li)-ion batteries for electric automobiles, as well as batteries for laptop computers, mobile phones, and other portable devices.

The new material, dubbed a “nanoscoop” because its shape resembles a cone with a scoop of ice cream on top, can withstand extremely high rates of charge and discharge that would cause conventional electrodes used in today’s Li-ion batteries to rapidly deteriorate and fail. The nanoscoop’s success lies in its unique material composition, structure, and size.

The Rensselaer research team, led by Professor Nikhil Koratkar, demonstrated how a nanoscoop electrode could be charged and discharged at a rate 40 to 60 times faster than conventional battery anodes, while maintaining a comparable energy density. This stellar performance, which was achieved over 100 continuous charge/discharge cycles, has the team confident that their new technology holds significant potential for the design and realization of high-power, high-capacity Li-ion rechargeable batteries.

“Charging my laptop or cell phone in a few minutes, rather than an hour, sounds pretty good to me,” said Koratkar, a professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer. “By using our nanoscoops as the anode architecture for Li-ion rechargeable batteries, this is a very real prospect. Moreover, this technology could potentially be ramped up to suit the demanding needs of batteries for electric automobiles.”

[mikrofon]

Nanoscoop	Nincompoop

[sonofagun]

That figure is for LNG. I believe CNG would be quite different in favor of gasoline.

Although exploring alternative technology for automibiles is really interesting, nobody's come up with an alternative that combines the efficiency of energy storage, delivery and safety that gasoline has.

[decimon]

Seems like the only way the electric car will ever be practical is if you can figure out a way to recharge it in a relatively short period of time and have a battery that is not nearly expensive as the ones we have now.

I'd add to that a longer driving range between 'refills.' Non-subsidized charging stations should then make the thing practical in some areas. I can see where this might first be practical in urban areas where there are commercial vehicles and go-getter cars that never leave those areas.

[r9etb]

Exhibit Remarkable Power Density . . . could be charged and discharged at a rate 40 to 60 times faster than conventional battery anodes, while maintaining a comparable energy density. Contradiction?

I'm not a battery guy, so maybe I'm off base here.... but I think the deal is that batteries with high charge or discharge rates tend to have poor energy density (charge capacity per unit mass or volume), because in order to achieve the high rates you need a lot of exposed electrode area, which means a very high area/volume ratio -- and big batteries.

High energy density means less exposed electrode area, and thus longer charge or discharge times.

The achievement here seems to be that they've increased the exposed area without having to increase the volume.

[Fresh Wind]

A higher charging rate means more current flowing while the charge is in progress.

The Chevy Volt will charge in 6 hours at 12 amps (120 volts) and 3 hours at 16 amps (240 volts).

Imagine what would happen if you have batteries that you can charge 40 times faster.

The charging current would be roughly 40 times greater (for a correspondingly shorter time). Based on the quoted numbers, that would mean charging currents of 480 or 960 amps.

Now, check with your electric supplier to see what it would cost to install 1000 amp service to your house.

[nascarnation]

They build CNG Hondas here in Indiana (the Civic plant in Greensburg).

I’ve read folks have a lot of trouble with the home compressor units (esp short life) and there are just a few commercial fueling stations in Indianapolis.

However as time goes by, I think these will be a viable option. With the huge nat gas finds, there will be plenty available. I assume the compressor issues get worked out with time.

[decimon]

I haven’t paid much attention to this but I’m aware of existing charging stations that recharge vehicle batteries quickly. Quick charging at home ain’t gonna happen but neither is liquid fueling. If this EV stuff becomes practical then recharging will be done at charging stations serving the same purpose as pumps at gas stations.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I would presume that fast charging would be for charging stations, where you would want to get in and out in under 10 minutes, just like refueling stations today.

There’s not much need for charging quicker than 3-4 hours at home, since you would most likely recharge overnight, or when you got back from somewhere, before you had to go somewhere else. Remember that home recharging is a pure benefit of electric cars, most people can’t refill their gas cars at home.

But the real key is not charge rate, but discharge rate. Faster discharge rates allow higher peak power with less damage.

[epithermal]

Interesting, but it has been a long time since I have squeezed into a Honda! They say it gets: “24 city/36 hwy/28 combined gasoline equivalent mpg.” Since I don’t use natural gas (in the Pacific Northwest we have very cheap hydroelectricity), I wonder how you would convert that to miles per dollar? I got the figure from this site:

http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-gx/

[Fresh Wind]

Remember that home recharging is a pure benefit of electric cars, most people can’t refill their gas cars at home.

Centralized charging stations are the answer, of course, and cost effective because the government will pay for them.

A typical gas station will have maybe 6-20 pumps. A charging station with that many plugs would still need some serious amperage coming in off the grid. Of course, the government will pay for upgrading the grid too (free to the taxpayer).

But that's a long way off at the rate electric cars will be selling.

Your comment about filling up at home reminded me of the Greenie hypocrite, John Denver, who had huge gasoline storage tanks installed at his ranch.

[RoadGumby]

1. Nothing the Gov’t pays for (or subsidizes) is ‘cost-effective.

2.... Gov’t will pay for upgrading - free to the taxpayer.... REALLY? Lib-think in process, where dpes the Gov’t get the monies to pay for the upgrade? What makes you think the service to charge your car will be free, even after the Gov’t uses YOUR money to upgrade the facilities?

[Fresh Wind]

Obama The Munificent will pay for everything.

Obama akbar!

[thackney]

CNG has proven more economical than gasoline for years. But most common vehicle CNG tanks result in a lower range as the vehicles were not originally designed for CNG.

More info at: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/natural_gas.html

[thackney]

The Chevy Volt will charge in 6 hours at 12 amps (120 volts)

- - - -

I don’t believe that is correct. The battery is a 16-kWh Lithium-ion.

[thackney]

I’m aware of existing charging stations that recharge vehicle batteries quickly.

What do you consider quickly? Is there something that would deliver a 50 mile range in under 10 minutes?

[EyeGuy]

“Is there something that would deliver a 50 mile range in under 10 minutes?”

####

In my Yukon Denali XL, I get a safe and comfortable 475 mile range in about 3.5 minutes.

But that’s using good old, unhip gasoline of course.....

[sonofagun]

Now, check with your electric supplier to see what it would cost to install 1000 amp service to your house.

Best description I've seen on this thread of power density.

[decimon]

What do you consider quickly? Is there something that would deliver a 50 mile range in under 10 minutes?

I believe there are charging stations that are or could be so capable. I don't know if there are any current vehicles so capable. I also don't know if there are any areas of the US with the generating capacity to handle many such vehicles.

Ironically, it may be the people pushing electric vehicles to make a boondoggle of a promising technology. We need more generating capacity to provide for the charging stations.

[longtermmemmory]

elecric cars are DOA until they 1. can go 400 miles at 80 mph in NORMAL use AND 2. not kill anyone when crashed or towed.

[Fresh Wind]

Numbers are all over the place on this. I don’t know which to believe.

Chevy says 10 hours on a 120 volt source, and 4 hours on a 240 volt source (from the Volt website).

Apparently they don’t use the full 16 kWh capacity, the limit it (in software) to 10.4 kWh to extend the battery life (Wikipedia). They do not fully charge or discharge the batteries.