Batteries of laptops, smartphones, and tablets might not be so efficient. Draining fast is actually very trivial when you compare it to incidents of exploding lithium ion batteries. However, this might soon be over, thanks to the non-flammable lithium-ion batteries scientists have now created.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have created a lithium-ion battery that does not burn up and does not explode. The team led by Joseph DeSimone, a highly-distinguished chemistry professor at the said institution, discovered a new component that can replace the electrolyte, the only component of lithium ion battery that is flammable.
The discovery of the new material was like a eureka moment for DeSimone who was actually conducting a study to look into solutions that will prevent marine life from sticking to the bottom of a ship. The material his team was looking into had a similar structure to the polymeric electrolyte that researchers for lithium-ion batteries looked into. The said material is being used as lubricant for heavy-duty machineries.
Compared to electrolytes, the new material known as PFPE or fluoride polymer perfluoropolyether does not combust. Electrolytes have been in used for a long time but the liquid that allows the movement of ions from one electrode to the other electrode has a tendency to spontaneously catch fire when batteries are overcharged. The incidents are very rare for mobile devices but can be very dangerous when spontaneous combustion happens in jumbo jets or electric cars.
"When we discovered that we could dissolve lithium salt in this polymer, that's when we decided to roll with it. Most polymers don't mix with salts, but this one did-and it was nonflammable. It was an unexpected result," said Dominica Wong, a graduate student in the university who spearheaded the project under the guidance of DeSimone.
"In addition to being nonflammable, PFPE exhibits very interesting properties such as its ion transport. That makes this electrolyte stand apart from previous discoveries," Wong added.
The team is working on improving the conductivity of the material and fine tuning the cycling characteristics of the battery so it can be used commercially. Once these have been done, the new lithium-ion battery can even be used in extreme environments such as the deep sea or space.
"There is a big demand for these batteries and a huge demand to make them safer. Researchers have been looking to replace this electrolyte for years, but nobody had ever thought to use this material called perfluoropolyether, or PFPE, as the main electrolyte material in lithium-ion batteries before," said DeSimone.
The results of the study have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
