Zinc Matrix Power is one of several companies working on a safer alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries. Although current lithium-ion electrolytes are flammable, 3M is developing nonflammable electrolytes for use with lithium-ion batteries. Other companies, such as Valence Technology (Austin, TX) and A123 Systems (Watertown, MA), are marketing batteries that use a phosphate material in one electrode, which is safer than the oxides typically used in lithium-ion batteries. Donald Sadoway, professor of chemistry at MIT, is skeptical that a recycling program will be sufficient to keep down the costs of silver-zinc batteries. "The capital costs of this thing is going to kill you," he says. Even the Navy, which has used the expensive silver-zinc technology, is funding his group to study advances in lithium-ion batteries, Sadoway says. If anyone has indeed found a way to make affordable, high-performance silver-zinc batteries, though, it could be "really good," he says, adding that "remarkable claims require remarkable proof. And this sounds remarkable." But the reaction of Yet-Ming Chiang, a MIT materials scientist and a founder of battery-maker A123 Systems, to the recent Zinc Matrix announcement reflects the fast development of new battery technologies. "A competitor every day," he says. "We'll have to get used to it." |
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Longer-Lasting Batteries for Laptops
04/07/2008
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Comments
SVE
10/11/2006
Posts:48
Recycling sounds good, but really, unless there is a financial incentive that makes people want to take the time and trouble to bring them in, they will be dumped. This could be good for silver mining, and there is no shortage of silver.
For fuel cells,,, they actually generate energy, whereas the batteries just store them. It could be a matter of niches, where the particular product works best.
kitk
10/11/2006
Posts:65
mjtimber
10/13/2006
Posts:6
Some customer ask me the question"Is Safe Using Li-ion Camcorder Battery", as there are too many event of "battery recall" at present.the following is my answer.
There is the rare possibility that any battery can explode. Some battery designs are more prone to this than others. Being a name brand battery isn't always a good indicator that a battery isn't one of those that might possibly explode. Sometimes even name brand stuff does this.
These things are very rare but it does happen. This is the one thing you might be concerned about when it comes to batteries. BTW camera companies buy their batteries from a company that makes batteries for the most part. The only thing you can do is to check for reports of explosions on the web. In the past there was no good way of finding out these things without making a trip to the periodicals section of a good library.
I buy lots of aftermarket batteries. I generally try to check about a retailer since it's often hard to know exactly what batteries are being sold. If you find a dealer that is known to sell lots of batteries that don't have problems then you shouldn't have any problems.
Like I said, I have all sorts of batteries from a number of manufacturers and I've never had any problems with explosions. I have had batteries that really weren't all that good. The worst ones I have were actually Panasonic but I strongly suspect I used a charger that was too powerful for them.
Li-ion batteries do not explode, at least I have never been able to find a reliable report of the battery exploding however they have been reported to get very hot, hot enough to reach 6,000 degrees which could in some cases being more dangerous than exploding.
The reference given seems to be a bit outdated. It states "Similarly, Li-ion batteries for defense applications are being produced that far exceed the energy density of the commercial equivalent. Unfortunately, these super-high capacity Li-ion batteries are deemed unsafe in the hands of the public. Neither would the general public be able to afford to buy them" There are actually several Li-ion battery chemistries used but even the consumer Li-ion batteries can be dangerous if you try to cut them open or puncture them.
Most camcorders today use the Li-ion batteries, as well as cellphones and a lot of laptops.
tancecom
11/13/2006
Posts:2
rhogan1
11/21/2006
Posts:3