The Chinese University of Hong Kong decomposes a non-flammable and relatively safe water-based lithium battery from skin cream ingredients

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Engineering Department's research team in China introduced a new electrolyte into the water-based lithium-ion battery, which has made important progress in improving high-purity lithium batteries. This electrolyte is commonly used in skin creams. It is cheap, non-flammable, low-toxic, friendly to the environment, and can generate stable daily use voltage. Based on previous research on water-based lithium-ion batteries, the team introduced'molecular aggregation' into a new type of water-based electrolyte, instead of using lithium ion salts as the main stabilizer. Mobile phones, laptops, even electric cars and other electronic devices and electronic products have improved our daily lives in many ways, and they all use lithium-ion batteries. Because lithium-ion batteries can be charged and can output energy stably, they have become the core of such products. Although after years of research, lithium-ion batteries still need to rely on toxic and flammable organic electrolytes to generate electricity, serious safety hazards have not been resolved. News such as Samsung's smartphone explosion, Boeing aircraft battery fire, and electric cars continue to occur. A fire indicates that the safety of the lithium-ion battery cannot be guaranteed. 'Molecular aggregation' is a common phenomenon in living cells. It describes the solution when large molecules (proteins, complex sugars, polysaccharides, etc.) or small hydrophilic molecules (metabolites, permeates) reach a certain concentration. The nature of the molecule will change substantially. Due to the crowded environment and the change in the hydrogen bond structure of water, the activity of the water solvent will decrease. The research team chose to use polyethylene glycol or PEG to replicate the “molecular aggregation” phenomenon in the electrolyte. PEG is a water-soluble polymer that can be easily combined with water-based batteries. It is also the basis for skin creams and personal lubricants. It can even be used as a defoamer in toothpaste, food and beverages. The researchers said:'This electrolyte can use many electrode materials that are not available for aqueous electrolytes. More importantly, this study found that it provides a design for an aqueous electrolyte with a larger voltage range and higher stability. The new platform can realize safe, low-cost and environmentally friendly energy storage equipment. 'By using this new type of stabilizer, LiMn2O4 cathode and Li4Ti5O12 anode, the team successfully expanded the stability range of the aqueous electrolyte to 3.2V and proved that this new electrolyte has been used in more than 300 charge and discharge cycles. It can make the battery energy density as high as 75 to 100Wh/kg, and can work stably; the use of gel coating can further increase the battery's working voltage to above 4.0V, almost eliminating the common side effects in water-based lithium-ion batteries (hydrogen/ oxygen). The researchers also conducted a flammability test to verify the fire resistance of the new electrolyte, which greatly improved the safety of lithium-ion batteries. Disclaimer: Some pictures and content of articles published on this site are from the Internet. If there is any infringement, please contact to delete. Previous: Lithium battery manufacturers explain the restoration of mobile phone lithium batteries and restore the vitality of mobile phone lithium batteries