A team of Hokies has stumbled upon a way to diagnose why batteries act the way they do, allowing them to identify performance problems in what is described as a mysterious area deep inside the cells, at the interface.
The Virginia Tech researchers used Brookhaven National Laboratory's high-tech X-ray scanner — typically focused on meteorites and funguses — to analyze the power packs, according to a news release from the university.
The work was originally meant for a novel multiphase polymer electrolyte that has been studied since 2015. The electrolyte is the core pack area where ions travel between two electrodes during the charge/discharge process. Common batteries have liquid versions, but solid and multiphase types are being analyzed as better options, according to the release and the U.S. Energy Department. A South Korean lab is working on an extremely thin version, too.
The Virginia Tech team, led by chemists Feng Lin and Louis Madsen, said the multiphase version can store more energy, is safer, and is cheaper than standard types. It can switch from being rigid to flexible as needed.
But tall hurdles have plagued progress for the Hokies' innovation, including "weird growths and unhelpful behaviors that sprout up where the electrolyte and the electrodes come together at that Bermuda Triangle of batteries, the interfaces." The experts call it a tricky spot to observe, where energy disappears, per the release.
"There are major, longstanding challenges at the interfaces," Jungki Min, a chemistry graduate student and the study's first author, said in the release. "We are always trying to gain better control over these buried surfaces."
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The Brookhaven scanner revealed that portions of the architectural support system break down during operations, which eventually leads to failure. What's more, the team also got a better view of chemical reactions and other interface structures, according to the researchers.
It's part of the ongoing effort in labs around the world to develop better pack parts to expedite the shift to cleaner technology, including electric vehicles, appliances, and renewable energy storage. Cost and availability are key considerations, as many current materials are reliant on foreign supply chains. Superb battery performance makes sure the valuable components are used to their fullest ability.
And the tech can help to nix heat-trapping air pollution made from burning dirty energy sources for transportation and electricity, as well. The gases are linked by NASA to growing risks for extreme weather. The severe storms are contributing to rising insurance rates and to more blackouts — all problems a growing number of people around the world are facing.
At Virginia Tech, the state-of-the-art scans and adaptive electrolyte could also help to improve gadgets used around the house, if the research leads to a next-level pack. Batteries power the smart devices that make everyday tasks, like doing laundry and managing HVAC systems, a breeze. It can all be navigated from anywhere with a smartphone. Better control can help you lower utility bills and cut air pollution, as well.
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For their part, the Hokies are encouraged by what they have found so far in battery chemistry's murky depths. The research included experts from Boise State and the University of Pennsylvania.
"This has been a great collaboration between multiple research laboratories across the country. We now have a good mechanistic picture to guide us for a better design of interfaces and interphases in solid polymer batteries," Lin said in the release.
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