Rechargeable batteries that last longer and re-charge more rapidly

[OKIsItJustMe]

https://www.psi.ch/media/rechargeable-batteries-that-last-longer-and-re-charge-more-rapidly

[font face=Serif]4. July 2016

[font size=5]Rechargeable batteries that last longer and re-charge more rapidly[/font]

[font size=4]Materials researchers at the Swiss Paul Scherrer Institute PSI in Villigen and the ETH Zurich have developed a very simple and cost-effective procedure for significantly enhancing the performance of conventional Li-ion rechargeable batteries. The procedure is scalable in size, so the use of rechargeable batteries will be optimized in all areas of application—whether in wristwatches, smartphones, laptops or cars. Battery storage capacity will be significantly extended, and charging times reduced. The researchers reported on their results in the latest issue of the research journal Nature Energy.[/font]

[font size=3]It’s not necessary to re-invent the rechargeable battery in order to improve its performance. As Claire Villevieille, head of the battery materials research group at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI says: "In the context of this competitive field, most researchers concentrate on the development of new materials." In cooperation with colleagues at the ETH in Zurich, Villevieille and co-researcher Juliette Billaud took a different approach: "We checked existing components with a view to fully exploiting their potential." Simply by optimizing the graphite anode – or negative electrode - on a conventional Li-ion battery, researchers were able to boost battery performance. "Under laboratory conditions, we were able to enhance storage capacity by a factor of up to 3. Owing to their complex construction, commercial batteries will not be able to fully replicate these results. But performance will definitely be enhanced, perhaps by as much as 30 – 50 percent: further experiments should yield more accurate prognoses."

…

In this case, changing the way anodes work was the key to success. Anodes are made from graphite, i.e. carbon, arranged in tiny, densely packed flakes, comparable in appearance to dark grey cornflakes haphazardly compressed, as in a granola bar. When a Li-ion battery is charging, lithium ions pass from the cathode, or positive metal oxide electrode, through an electrolyte fluid to the anode, where they are stored in the graphite bar. When the battery is in use and thus discharging, the lithium ions pass back to the cathode but are forced to take many detours through the densely packed mass of graphite flakes, compromising battery performance.

These detours are largely avoidable if the flakes are arranged vertically during the anode production process so that they are massed parallel to one another, pointing from the electrode plane in the direction of the cathode. Adapting a method already used in the production of synthetic composite materials, this alignment was achieved by André Studart and a team of research experts in the field of material nanostructuration at the ETH Zurich. The method involves coating the graphite flakes with nanoparticles of iron oxide sensitive to a magnetic field and suspending them in ethanol. The suspended and already magnetized flakes are subsequently subjected to a magnetic field of 100 millitesla—about the strength of a fridge magnet. André Studart explains that "by rotating the magnet during this process, the platelets not only align vertically but in parallel formation to one another, like books on a shelf. As a result, they are perfectly ordered, reducing the diffusion distances covered by the lithium ions to a minimum."

…[/font][/font]

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nenergy.2016.97

[Hoyt]

1. Never had good results with rechargeables, although might be because I ebough very cheap systems.

This would be great. I go through a lot of batteries, mostly with portable audio recorders and computer mice.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. I’d check your charger

Last edited Mon Jul 4, 2016, 08:09 PM - Edit history (1)

If you use a “fast” charger with typical rechargeable cells, you’ll shorten their lives rather quickly.
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/charging_nickel_metal_hydride

Spend just a little more money on a better charger, and you’ll save a lot of money on your cells.

I have one of these: https://www.lacrossetechnology.com/bc700/index.php

Not only does it recharge AA’s and AAA’s, it will even bring some “dead” cells back to life (well, somewhat…)


However, the OP is primarily about Lithium-ion batteries, like you find in cell phones, laptop computers and electric cars.

[Hoyt]

5. I'll try that or something similar. My cell phone battery works pretty well. I want an electric car

but need more range right now. Maybe someday.

Thanks for recommendation.

[OKIsItJustMe]

10. Your cell phone uses a Lithium-ion battery

Typical “rechargeable batteries” (technically “cells”) you’ll find in the grocery store at this point are “Nickle Metal Hydride” (NiMH.) Look for “low-self-discharge” cells. Take a moment, and look at the fine print. See what their milli-amp-hour (mAh) rating is.

See what they should be recharged at (200 mA is typical.)

See what number of charge cycles they’re rated for.

[passiveporcupine]

6. the last mouse I bought has a two-year battery life, supposedly

Just two regular AA batteries. I don't know if I believe that. It was pretty cheap too.

I have a camera with a special battery...not the round ones, a little flat one, that is rechargeable. So far, it's lasted much much longer than my previous rechargeble batteries in a cheaper camera. I got so tired of throwing away rechargeable batteries that would not recharge, and they weren't that old or used.

I have read of some very promising news on the rechargeable front though. I think we are making progress. I've never understood how an iPhone could run for a long time on batteries, but they couldn't make rechargeable batteries for cameras that lasted even a day. At least my old camera couldn't. I could take maybe 20 pics and it was dead.

[brewens]

3. So far, I've found rechargeable batteries only useful for remotes. For that they are great!

Remotes us so little power that even crappy rechargeable batteries do the job and last quite awhile. I have them in all my remotes and enough backups in my freezer to change them out to recharge when they need it. Never had a remote without batteries for like eight years since I started doing that.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. They work great for me! (Your mileage may vary.)

(According to Wikipedia), An alkaline AA has a capacity of 1700 mAh to 3000 mAh. (Grab one and look at the fine print on the side.) A rechargeable NiMH has a capacity of 1300 mAh to 3500 mAh.

Personally, I like Eneloops. I use them in “everything.” (Flashlights, cameras, remotes, the keyboard I’m typing on…)

One problem, for some devices, is that an alkaline cell (nominally) puts out 1.5V, while a NiMH (nominally) puts out 1.2V, but the alkaline cell drops off fairly quickly:


For “high-drain” devices, or extreme temperatures, you may want to try “Eneloop Pro’s.”

However, the OP is primarily about Lithium-ion batteries, like you find in cell phones, laptop computers and electric cars.

[passiveporcupine]

7. It was suggested to me to buy some enloops too.

Never got around to finding where to buy them.

[thesquanderer]

9. Eneloop. Amazon. (n/t)

[OKIsItJustMe]

12. Reportedly, the Amazon Basics cells are rebranded Eneloops

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-High-Capacity-Rechargeable-Batteries-Pre-charged/dp/B00HZV9WTM/

[jtuck004]

8. Good info, thank you. I have a handful of led flashlights that I use AAA batts in,

recharging them takes a while. I can check voltage, but I haven't figured out how to see how much storage potential is left, some seem to be not holding what they used to.

That is helpful to know.

[OKIsItJustMe]

15. The charger I linked to above will tell you the capacity of your cells

It has a test mode which will discharge them completely, and then charge them completely, and tell you how much it put into them. Better still, it has a “refresh” mode, where it does this repeatedly, fully discharge, fully charge, fully discharge, fully charge, until it figures it has put the maximum it can into the cell. This can bring an old cell back to life.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1127&pid=103081

[thesquanderer]

11. Only useful for remotes? iPhones, laptops and the like wouldn't work without them.

That's really what this is about. (And electric cars...)

[OKIsItJustMe]

13. Brewens is likely thinking of NiMH’s or NiCd’s

Consumer NiCd’s could be frustrating to use, particularly since their self-discharge rate was relatively high, when compared to an alkaline cell.

[brewens]

16. I'm just talking about a cheap charger for AA and AAA that I got like nine

years ago. None of the AA lasted for shit in anything I tried that uses much juice. That was mostly my old digital camera. I bought the charger with the camera. But like I said, they are fine for something like a remote.

[OKIsItJustMe]

17. Today’s Low Self-Discharge NiMH cells are much better than your old rechargeables

I’ll bet, if you look at them, you’ll find they are NiCd.

Try one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-K-KJ17KHCA4A-Individual-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B00JHKSL1O/

[humbled_opinion]

14. Great news for me

I have an entire car full...LOL Chevy Volt... I have 37K miles on my volt and my lifetime MPG is over 250 based on charging.... I get nearly 50MPG on a full charge rarely use any gas only on extended trips....had car 3 years needed only 2 oil changes and was early on the second one. Once this battery tech is expanded the faster charging will mean a boon to the electric car industry and get us off of fossil fuels quicker.... I can't wait for solar tech to get me off of the grid, renewable energy is my passion.