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| How to make phone batteries that last longer | How to make phone batteries that last longer |
| (3 days later) | |
| When Professor Akira Yoshino was developing a new battery technology in his laboratory in the early 1980s, he didn't think it would amount to much. | When Professor Akira Yoshino was developing a new battery technology in his laboratory in the early 1980s, he didn't think it would amount to much. |
| "At the time, we thought it mainly would be used in 8mm video cameras," he laughs. | "At the time, we thought it mainly would be used in 8mm video cameras," he laughs. |
| He was well off the mark. These days you are never more than a few feet away from a lithium-ion battery, as they power mobile phones and all sorts of other electronics, from toothbrushes to electric scooters. | He was well off the mark. These days you are never more than a few feet away from a lithium-ion battery, as they power mobile phones and all sorts of other electronics, from toothbrushes to electric scooters. |
| In recognition of that success, Prof Yoshino was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. | In recognition of that success, Prof Yoshino was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. |
| But despite improvements, even the most advanced lithium-ion batteries can only store a fraction of the energy of a similar weight of petrol or jet fuel. | |
| And that is curbing ambitions for even smaller and lighter devices - and more ambitious projects like electric powered aviation. | And that is curbing ambitions for even smaller and lighter devices - and more ambitious projects like electric powered aviation. |
| Solid progress | Solid progress |
| Batteries need to make progress, admits Prof Yoshino, but thankfully, "there's a lot of interesting approaches". | Batteries need to make progress, admits Prof Yoshino, but thankfully, "there's a lot of interesting approaches". |
| And "the solid state battery, I think, is a promising one," he says. | And "the solid state battery, I think, is a promising one," he says. |
| Solid state batteries can store 50% more energy than lithium-ion, says Douglas Campbell, chief executive of Solid Power, a Colorado university spin-off. | Solid state batteries can store 50% more energy than lithium-ion, says Douglas Campbell, chief executive of Solid Power, a Colorado university spin-off. |
| They are more stable as well. In lithium-ion batteries the gel inside, the electrolyte, can combust. | They are more stable as well. In lithium-ion batteries the gel inside, the electrolyte, can combust. |
| In 2016, Samsung recalled 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 handsets after fires involving their lithium-ion batteries. | In 2016, Samsung recalled 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 handsets after fires involving their lithium-ion batteries. |
| Solid state batteries replace that gel with less flammable solid polymers or ceramics. | Solid state batteries replace that gel with less flammable solid polymers or ceramics. |
| But the batteries being developed by Mr Campbell's firm still require lithium in its metallic form and that's a problem because it is a hard metal to work with. | But the batteries being developed by Mr Campbell's firm still require lithium in its metallic form and that's a problem because it is a hard metal to work with. |
| Another problem is that lithium metal isn't yet refined on an industrial scale, so just getting enough could be difficult, according to Mr Campbell. | |
| But despite those worries, solid state batteries have "had the breakthrough in basic research, and research and development for mass production techniques is progressing," says Prof Yoshino. | But despite those worries, solid state batteries have "had the breakthrough in basic research, and research and development for mass production techniques is progressing," says Prof Yoshino. |
| He thinks it could take another 10 years for solid state batteries to compete with lithium-ion in terms of price. | He thinks it could take another 10 years for solid state batteries to compete with lithium-ion in terms of price. |
| Eyes on the prize | Eyes on the prize |
| The big prize in the market is batteries for electric cars. | The big prize in the market is batteries for electric cars. |
| The number of electric vehicles in the world will balloon to 125 million by 2030, the International Energy Agency forecasts. | The number of electric vehicles in the world will balloon to 125 million by 2030, the International Energy Agency forecasts. |
| Battery innovation is "pretty much driven by whatever's happening in the electric vehicle market", says Rory McCarthy, an analyst at energy research firm Wood Mackenzie. | Battery innovation is "pretty much driven by whatever's happening in the electric vehicle market", says Rory McCarthy, an analyst at energy research firm Wood Mackenzie. |
| More Technology of Business | More Technology of Business |
| Mr McCarthy says the challenge for solid state and other new technologies is to compete with lithium-ion plants, which are getting bigger and bigger, making their batteries cheaper. | Mr McCarthy says the challenge for solid state and other new technologies is to compete with lithium-ion plants, which are getting bigger and bigger, making their batteries cheaper. |
| It takes a new battery factory four to five years to get close to full capacity and 10 years to make its money back, he adds. | It takes a new battery factory four to five years to get close to full capacity and 10 years to make its money back, he adds. |
| Watts ahead | Watts ahead |
| Lithium-ion technology itself is not a dead end. "We're learning some new principles we haven't thought of before," says Prof Yoshino. | Lithium-ion technology itself is not a dead end. "We're learning some new principles we haven't thought of before," says Prof Yoshino. |
| That includes the movement of lithium-ions inside batteries. "We thought we understood that," he adds. | |
| But now scientists are having to revisit their understanding, since it "is not what we expected". | But now scientists are having to revisit their understanding, since it "is not what we expected". |
| "Yes, it goes on and on it never ends", he laughs. | "Yes, it goes on and on it never ends", he laughs. |
| Gene Berdichevsky says that it's only lithium-ion batteries that can make a "meaningful" impact on batteries in the near future and spur the mass adoption of electric vehicles. | Gene Berdichevsky says that it's only lithium-ion batteries that can make a "meaningful" impact on batteries in the near future and spur the mass adoption of electric vehicles. |
| His California-based company, Sila Nanotechnologies, is developing lithium-ion batteries that can potentially deliver a 40% improvement in energy density. | His California-based company, Sila Nanotechnologies, is developing lithium-ion batteries that can potentially deliver a 40% improvement in energy density. |
| They are doing that by by replacing the graphite anodes (the part of the battery where the current flows in) with silicon. | |
| "We need continued investment and innovation in lithium-ion batteries," he says. | "We need continued investment and innovation in lithium-ion batteries," he says. |
| Electric flight? | Electric flight? |
| Better battery density could make big differences in the way we live. | Better battery density could make big differences in the way we live. |
| Aeroplanes release 500 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. | Aeroplanes release 500 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. |
| But with better batteries, aircraft can use cleaner power and that revolution is already underway. | But with better batteries, aircraft can use cleaner power and that revolution is already underway. |
| This year's Paris air show saw a working all-electric prototype commercial aircraft, made by the Israeli start-up, Eviation. | This year's Paris air show saw a working all-electric prototype commercial aircraft, made by the Israeli start-up, Eviation. |
| US regional airline Cape Air has placed a double-digit order. Meanwhile Canada's Harbour Air said in March it aims to become the world's first all-electric airline. | US regional airline Cape Air has placed a double-digit order. Meanwhile Canada's Harbour Air said in March it aims to become the world's first all-electric airline. |
| With 30% of flights under 300 miles, short haul flight should be easy to electrify, says Los Angeles start-up Wright Electric. | With 30% of flights under 300 miles, short haul flight should be easy to electrify, says Los Angeles start-up Wright Electric. |
| And much denser batteries could also electrify big lorries that today rely on fossil fuels. | And much denser batteries could also electrify big lorries that today rely on fossil fuels. |
| Meanwhile, for some better batteries could change their lives. | Meanwhile, for some better batteries could change their lives. |
| "I have an off-road chair with six wheels," says Curt Oswalt, a former US air force translator who uses a battery-powered wheelchair after a 2002 injury. | "I have an off-road chair with six wheels," says Curt Oswalt, a former US air force translator who uses a battery-powered wheelchair after a 2002 injury. |
| "My batteries first started acting up roughly two years ago," he says. | "My batteries first started acting up roughly two years ago," he says. |
| One night, unable to sleep, he went for a 01:00 stroll around his neighbourhood in the Texan countryside. | One night, unable to sleep, he went for a 01:00 stroll around his neighbourhood in the Texan countryside. |
| "My battery indicator went from reading three-quarters full to dead, in under three seconds," he says. | "My battery indicator went from reading three-quarters full to dead, in under three seconds," he says. |
| Stranded, he had to wait under a street light until 04:30, when a sheriff found him and helped him home. | Stranded, he had to wait under a street light until 04:30, when a sheriff found him and helped him home. |
| A more recent battery failure has meant he's been unable to leave his house unassisted for nine days. | A more recent battery failure has meant he's been unable to leave his house unassisted for nine days. |
| "So yes," he says, "looking forward to better batteries!" | "So yes," he says, "looking forward to better batteries!" |