Inspiration in the strangest places
21 Feb 2011 by Evoluted New Media
The ice cream cone – plus scoop – has provided an unlikely source of inspiration for the next generation of high powered rechargeable batteries.
The ice cream cone – plus scoop – has provided an unlikely source of inspiration for the next generation of high powered rechargeable batteries.
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Scientists create the next generation of high powered rechargeable batteries, inspired by the ice cream cone |
Researchers from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed the nanoscoop – so called because the shape resembles a cone complete with a scoop of ice cream on the top – that can withstand extremely high rates of charge and discharge that would cause other electrodes to fail.
The nanoscoop’s success lies in the unique material composition, structure and size. Its electrode can be charged and discharged at a rate of 40 to 60 times faster than conventional battery anodes, while maintaining a comparable energy density.
“Charging my laptop or cell phone in a few minutes, rather than an hour, sounds pretty good to me,” said research leader professor Nikhil Koratkar. “By using our nanoscoops as the anode architecture for Li-ion rechargeable batteries, this is a very real prospect.”
Traditional lithium-ion batteries are damaged by a build up of stress in the anode caused by the increase and decrease in the size of the structure during charging and discharging. The Rensselaer design has been engineered to withstand this build up. It consists of a carbon nanorod base, topped with a thin layer of nanoscale aluminium plus a scoop of nanoscale silicon.
The nanoscoop is flexible and able to quickly accept and discharge lithium ions at an extremely fast pace without sustaining significant damage. Strain is gradually transferred from the base to the aluminium layer and finally to the scoop meaning a less abrupt transition in stress across the material interfaces and improved integrity of the electrode.
“Due to their nanoscale size, our nanoscoops can soak and release Li at high rates far more effectively than the macroscale anodes used in today’s LI-ion batteries,” Koratkar said. “Our nanoscoop may be the solution to a critical problem facing auto companies and other battery manufacturers.”
The nanoscoop may find uses in automobile batteries and batteries for laptops, mobile phones and other portable devices. The team are now working on growing longer scoops with greater mass, or developing a method for stacking layers of nanoscoops on top of each other.
