Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

OKIsItJustMe

(21,016 posts)
Sat Nov 9, 2024, 06:30 PM Nov 9

Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Designing battery success from failure

Designing battery success from failure
Researchers drive solid-state innovation for renewable energy storage
November 7, 2024


Mengya Li was part of a team that developed a new solid state battery formulation that was recently tested in the beam of a particle accelerator. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists are developing a formula for success – by studying how a new type of battery fails. The team’s goal is the design for long-term storage of wind and solar energy, which are produced intermittently, enabling their broader use as reliable energy sources for the electric grid.

Batteries store and release energy as ions shift between electrodes, usually through a liquid electrolyte. However, ORNL researchers engineered a battery in which sodium ions travel through a more durable and energy-packed solid electrolyte made with enhanced conductivity.

Solid electrolytes are considered the next frontier of batteries, if scientists can address challenges such as understanding how they fail in high-demand conditions. The ORNL-led team ran the battery under high current or voltage within a powerful X-ray beam. At the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, researchers observed ions depositing in pores of the electrolyte, eventually forming structures that cause a short circuit.

“We can use this information to understand how to improve this really promising solid electrolyte material that could support storing renewable energy for longer periods,” said ORNL researcher Mengya Li.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/batt.202400429
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Environment & Energy»Oak Ridge National Labora...