Lithium-sulfur batteries have never lived up to their potential as the next generation of renewable batteries for electric vehicles and other devices. But ?SMU mechanical engineer Donghai Wang and his research team have found a way to make these Li-S batteries last longer -- with higher energy levels -- than existing renewable batteries.
Emerging technologies such as solid-state batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, and flow batteries hold potential for greater storage capacities than lithium-ion batteries. Recent developments in battery energy density and cost reductions have made EVs more practical and accessible to consumers.
It is also expected that demand for lithium-ion batteries will increase up to tenfold by 2030, according to the US Department for Energy, so manufacturers are constantly building battery plants to keep up. Lithium mining can be controversial as it can take several years to develop and has a considerable impact on the environment.
"Recycling a lithium-ion battery consumes more energy and resources than producing a new battery, explaining why only a small amount of lithium-ion batteries are recycled," says Aqsa Nazir, a postdoctoral research scholar at Florida International University's battery research laboratory.
Lithium batteries are very difficult to recycle and require huge amounts of water and energy to produce. Emerging alternatives could be cheaper and greener. In Australia's Yarra Valley, new battery technology is helping power the country's residential buildings and commercial ventures – without using lithium.
For every tonne of lithium mined during hard rock mining, approximately 15 tonnes of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere. So, are there viable alternatives to the lithium-ion battery? In sodium-ion batteries, sodium directly replaces lithium.