An IBM Research team discovered the chemistry for a new battery that does not use heavy metals or other unsustainable substances.
The design combines a cobalt- and nickel-free cathode and liquid electrolyte extracted from seawater—laying the groundwork for less invasive sourcing techniques.
Battery components like nickel and cobalt (the latter of which is largely available in central Africa and has been criticized for exploitative extraction practices) pose “tremendous” environmental and humanitarian risks, according to IBM Research.
“Just as promising as this new battery’s composition is its performance potential,” team member Young-hye Na wrote in a blog post.
A Battery Lab instrument measures the amount of gas that has evolved from a battery cell during charging and discharging cycles (IBM Research)
Initial tests proved it can outdo lithium-ion cells in various categories, including low cost, fast charging (80 percent in less than five minutes), high power and energy density, strong energy efficiency, and low flammability.
“Combined with the relatively low cost of sourcing the materials, the goal of a fast-charging, low-cost electric vehicle could become a reality,” Na said.
Moving forward, IBM Research has partnered with Mercedes-Benz R&D North America, battery electrolyte supplier Central Glass, and battery manufacturer Sidus.
The Battery Lab can evaluate the electrochemical performance of the coin cells fabricated in-house (via IBM Research)
“While plans for the larger development of this battery are still in the exploratory phase,” Na explained, “our hope is that this budding ecosystem will help to bring these batteries into reality.”
The team has also turned to artificial intelligence to help improve battery performance: Using machine learning to give researchers access to insights from “millions of data points” can speed up the pace of innovation.
“This new research could help eliminate the need for heavy metals in battery production and transform the long-term sustainability of many elements of our energy infrastructure,” the IBM Research blog said.
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