In a groundbreaking development that could revolutionize the way we think about battery life, scientists, including those backed by automotive giant Toyota, have discovered a remarkable technique to revitalize aging batteries. This breakthrough promises to put a significant dent in our e-waste problem and extend the lifespan of electric vehicle batteries, keeping them running for years to come.
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Rejuvenating Aging Batteries
Imagine a super-powered energy drink for your car’s battery – that’s precisely what these clever researchers have achieved. By injecting specific chemicals into aging lithium-ion batteries, they have found a way to replenish the lost charged particles, or ions, that help the battery store power. It’s like giving your tired battery a second wind, restoring it to its former glory.
The process is deceptively simple yet ingenious. Over time, lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from smartphones to electric cars, lose their ability to hold a charge effectively. This is because they lose some of the ions that store and release energy within the battery. However, the researchers from Toyota Central R&D Labs in Japan have developed a single-step process that triggers a chemical reaction, producing more lithium ions and electrons, the two types of charged particles that enable a battery to store power.
By injecting a special substance called a “recovery reagent” into the battery cells, the researchers were able to reverse the degradation process and restore up to 80 percent of the battery’s original capacity. Remarkably, the restored battery maintained its performance for 100 charging and discharging cycles, proving the technique’s effectiveness.
The researchers tested their method on small and large batteries, including those used for automotive applications. “The effectiveness of the system was verified not only with small-sized batteries for lab use but also with large batteries for automotive use,” says Nobuhiro Ogihara, the study’s lead researcher.
This technique could extend the useful lifetimes of lithium-ion batteries, allowing them to be reused in electric cars or other devices rather than being discarded or undergoing complex disassembly and recycling processes. This could save money, resources, and the environment, as lithium-ion batteries contain valuable and scarce materials, such as cobalt and nickel, often mined unsustainably.
However, it’s essential to note that this technique is not a magic bullet for all types of battery degradation. It only works for batteries that have lost their ions due to repeated charging and discharging, not those that have suffered structural damage or other forms of deterioration. Additionally, it requires a way to diagnose the battery’s state and determine whether it suits the injection.
As Jacqueline Edge, an expert on battery degradation at Imperial College London, explains, “It’s only for batteries which have undergone a very specific form of degradation… and that is only useful if you know the history of the battery or can diagnose what state it is in through simple, non-destructive methods.” She adds that long-term studies are needed to understand the potential side effects of the chemical injection on the battery and its safety.
Nonetheless, the Toyota research group has filed a patent application for their work, which has attracted interest and funding from other companies and government agencies, such as the US Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. Restoring used batteries is part of a broader vision of creating a circular economy for battery technology, where materials and products are reused and recycled rather than wasted.
As Rafael Gómez-Bombarelli, a materials science and engineering professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, aptly states, “Anything getting us closer to circularity in battery technology – in particular something that avoids disassembly and reassembly – is very exciting news.” He acknowledges that while this technique may not work indefinitely, it is a technologically promising step toward a more sustainable future for battery technology.
With their work published in the prestigious journal Joule, these researchers have taken a significant stride towards addressing the challenge of battery degradation and paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient utilization of lithium-ion batteries in various applications, from electric vehicles to consumer electronics.
