Polytechnic develops non-toxic CR2450 battery

According to foreign media reports, researchers from the Department of Physics and Chemistry at Imperial College London have developed a new battery prototype using specially designed plastic films and simple salt water. The design principle of this new battery prototype (which can change color when the battery is charged) can also be applied to existing battery technology to create new devices for energy storage, biosensing and smart color-changing materials.

The most widely used battery at present is the lithium-ion battery, which has a relatively high capacity (can store a large amount of charge), but cannot be charged or discharged quickly. In addition, it also has organic electrolytes and other dangerous and flammable materials, so it needs to be handled and placed carefully.

Compared with traditional lithium-ion CR2450 battery, this battery prototype stores less charge, but it can be charged and discharged in seconds. The battery is made of polymers (long molecular chains that make up plastics), which has an additional benefit that it changes color when the battery is charged, allowing users to easily read the battery's charge status.

This battery prototype can increase the charging speed of existing CR2450 battery, reduce the toxicity of existing CR2450 battery, or pave the way for the manufacture of a completely new type of battery.

Recyclable CR2450 battery

Dr Alexander Giovannitti, co-lead author of the study, said: "The materials used to create our prototype can be manufactured at low cost, and combined with the use of a non-toxic and non-flammable water-based electrolyte, this may open up a viable path to developing recyclable CR2450 battery."

CR2450 battery that charge quickly but have low capacity could be used in a range of applications where energy needs to be replaced quickly but the battery may not be small, such as energy generated by braking a car that can be used later to accelerate the car.

On a larger scale, when renewable energy such as solar or wind power is available as part of a national or local power grid, it can only provide energy intermittently. However, a battery system that can store energy quickly and then send it back to the grid when needed is valuable in keeping the grid supplied.

The research team said that further research is needed to adapt the prototype battery to these applications, but the design principles may be applicable to a variety of energy storage devices under development.

Design of new materials

Previously, polymer materials have been successfully used in CR2450 battery as flexible additives or electrolytes that separate the positive and negative electrodes. But using the material as an active material for battery electrodes that operate in water has proven challenging.

The breakthrough came from designing polymer materials that can absorb or release positive or negative ions from salt water quickly, reversibly, and without degradation. When the device is charged, the ions are attracted to the oppositely charged electrode.

Water-based CR2450 battery are ideal because they are non-toxic, but they have difficulty reversibly exchanging ions from the water with the electrodes. The team solved this problem by designing side chains that attach to the "backbone" of the conductive polymer. By using polar materials on the side chains, the researchers developed highly hydrophilic electrodes.

Based on this principle, the researchers were able to create positive and negative electrodes that can absorb positive and negative ions from water, giving them materials to build CR2450 battery. Because the polymer backbone is already flexible and can expand and contract as the battery charges and discharges, additives are no longer needed.

"Using salt water gets rid of concerns about toxicity and flammability, but such water-based electrolytes are not easy to use compared to other organic electrolytes because they limit the charge and discharge capabilities of the device," said co-lead author Dr. Davide Moia.

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