Wyatt earp
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- Apr 21, 2012
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More ancient technology the wave of the future
The idea comes from a 140-year-old battery technology, known as the metal-air type. The first metal-air batteries were designed in 1878, using atmospheric oxygen as a cathode (electron receiver) and a metal anode (electron giver). The anode can be made out of cheap and abundantly-available metals such as aluminum, zinc, or iron.
The zinc-air batteries were the first to see wide adoption in hearing-aid devices. Theoretically, metal-air batteries have a higher energy density than Li-Ion batteries, while at the same time being inexpensive, thanks to the ubiquity of the metals used. Their main problem is that they were impractical to recharge because of them rusting.
More specifically, the battery can corrode quickly once the flow of oxygen has started, even when left unused. This is why we now have metal-air batteries, but they are not rechargeable. A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced a breakthrough in iron-air battery technology that allows the cells to be rechargeable. The process is called “reverse rusting” and is said to allow efficiently store and release energy.
www.autoevolution.com
The idea comes from a 140-year-old battery technology, known as the metal-air type. The first metal-air batteries were designed in 1878, using atmospheric oxygen as a cathode (electron receiver) and a metal anode (electron giver). The anode can be made out of cheap and abundantly-available metals such as aluminum, zinc, or iron.
The zinc-air batteries were the first to see wide adoption in hearing-aid devices. Theoretically, metal-air batteries have a higher energy density than Li-Ion batteries, while at the same time being inexpensive, thanks to the ubiquity of the metals used. Their main problem is that they were impractical to recharge because of them rusting.
More specifically, the battery can corrode quickly once the flow of oxygen has started, even when left unused. This is why we now have metal-air batteries, but they are not rechargeable. A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced a breakthrough in iron-air battery technology that allows the cells to be rechargeable. The process is called “reverse rusting” and is said to allow efficiently store and release energy.
A 140-Years-Old Battery Technology Might Change Everything We Know About Energy Storage
Li-Ion batteries are considered to be the Holy Grail of energy storage today, but a 140-years-old battery technology might change everything
www.autoevolution.com
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