Common batteries are electrochemical cells. And they may get better thanks to living cells: the multicellular organism called brown algae.
Lithium ion batteries include a binder. It holds the graphite nanoparticles that serve as the anode. The binder isn’t active, but researchers say it’s crucial in the battery’s stability. In theory, a silicon anode would make a better battery than graphite, but it’s not stable. Cracks form, and the battery degrades. The researchers thought—could a silicon anode succeed with a better binder?
Seawater has a high concentration of ions, much like the battery’s electrolyte. So the researchers thought that an organism that survives in seawater might provide a natural binder. They tested alginate from brown algae. And it provided such an effective binder for silicon nanoparticles that the system didn’t degrade. The result? A battery that can store more energy, is less expensive, can last longer and wouldn’t use as many toxic chemicals in the manufacturing.
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The research is online in Science Express, in advance of publication in the journal Science. [Igor Kovalenko et al., "A Major Constituent of Brown Algae for Use in High-Capacity Li-Ion Batteries"]
The scientists will refine their alginate efforts, in the hope that fast-growing brown algae can help contribute to our fast-growing battery economy.
—Cynthia Graber
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]
