A battery that can put out its own fire: Scientists develop a novel design

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The researchers modified affordable commercial coolants, which are used to suppress flames, to function as battery electrolytes. Their electrolyte was nonflammable, heat-resistant, and compatible with any battery chemistry.

 

So what year do we see this weed its way into commercial batteries, 2034?

 

The use of AI in this case was very narrow and only for discovery. The AI—trained on very reliable chemistry data, already vetted—was searching for candidates. The scientists involved do not just “take the AI’s word for it”, they vetted the 18 candidates that fell out of the process.

This is very different than the general purpose large language model applications where the training data is of dubious veracity and the results are intended to be “helpful”. This AI had solid data in, and—it seems—solid data out rather than something like ChatGPT that can’t avoid the law of GIGO, exacerbated by being programmed to please.

One thing I haven't understand yet with these batteries is why they are choosing lithium. Magnesium is a better anode and I'm sure its probably cheaper to build.

 

Sleep hack: Stanford scientists unlock 700-mile EV range with battery nap

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These next-generation batteries offer double the range of current lithium-ion models, reaching 500 to 700 miles (804 to 1126 kilometers) on a single charge. However, they suffer from rapid energy storage capacity loss after a few charging cycles, hindering their long-term viability.

 

Sleep hack: Stanford scientists unlock 700-mile EV range with battery nap
View attachment 314770​

This is just getting stupid.

 

This is just getting stupid.

A few charging cycles until not useful anymore. Wow, thanks 'scientists' you struck gold ha ha.

 

One thing I haven't understand yet with these batteries is why they are choosing lithium. Magnesium is a better anode and I'm sure its probably cheaper to build.

Basic electrochemistry is why.
https://science.osti.gov/bes/Highlights/2018/BES-2018-04-g

The Science
Magnesium ions are doubly charged compared to singly charged lithium ions, so these batteries have the potential for storing more energy. In this research, scientists discovered and demonstrated design rules for identifying crystalline solids that magnesium ions can move through quickly—a critical property for faster charging batteries. The researchers predicted which pathway magnesium ions take in moving through solids. Also, they predicted how to minimize the energy barrier for that movement.

The Impact
Magnesium is an earth-abundant element, unlike lithium. Also, magnesium-ion batteries could have significantly higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries. However, the poor mobility of magnesium ions was seen as an insurmountable hurdle to creating a commercial magnesium-ion battery. These results show that high magnesium-ion mobility in solids is possible. The study opens the door to a new form of energy storage.

Summary
The remarkable mobility of lithium ions in solids has been a key factor in the development of commercial lithium-ion batteries. A generally perceived obstacle to the development of magnesium-ion batteries is the low mobility observed for the larger, more highly charged magnesium ion. The magnesium ions have two positive charges rather than a single positive charge on the smaller lithium ions. A wide range of solid electrode materials is available for lithium-ion technology, but not magnesium-ion batteries. There have only been a few demonstrations of fully operational magnesium-ion batteries. A team of researchers from the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR) has developed a new set of design rules for better magnesium-ion battery materials. They judiciously tuned the chemistry and crystal structure to enable high magnesium mobility. The team, working at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, calculated the specific local environments that a magnesium ion would have to pass through as it moves within a crystal. Much like a human hiker might choose a pathway through mountainous terrain with a minimal elevation change, the JCESR team focused on materials where there was a pathway for magnesium ions with a minimal change in energy for each step along the pathway. Flattening the energy profile along the migration pathway in the solid should translate to fast ion diffusion, even for the relatively large, doubly charged magnesium ion. The team applied this approach to the computational screening of a large number of candidate materials for use as a solid electrolyte in magnesium-ion batteries. This design principle guided the team to investigate specific solids, including MgSc2Se4. Synthesis and characterization of this compound resulted in the first demonstration of high magnesium ionic conductivity in a solid at room temperature. This success in designing a solid magnesium-ion conductor represents an encouraging step towards finding more solids with fast magnesium mobility that can function as electrodes or electrolytes in magnesium-ion batteries.

 

 

Korean researchers triple lithium extraction with plasma technology

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According to the team, the results are highly encouraging as direct injections of carbon dioxide gas yielded a modest 10.3 percent extraction rate, and the introduction of carbon dioxide plasma propelled the extraction rate to an impressive 27.87 percent. This marks a paradigm shift in lithium extraction methodologies, offering a glimpse into the vast potential of plasma technology in optimizing resource utilization.

 

https://www.scmp.com/business/china...uxury-hiphi-brand-6-months-market-competition

Chinese EV maker Human Horizons suspends manufacture of luxury HiPhi brand for 6 months as market competition intensifies

• Two sources with knowledge of the electric car maker’s operations said the company was not able to pay its employees in January
• Shanghai-based carmaker failed to turn its business around amid a slowdown in the Chinese EV market that may force smaller carmakers to fold

Looks like a cool car.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/ar-BB1iZH3N
Apple to Wind Down Electric Car Effort After Decadelong Odyssey

Apple Inc. is canceling a decadelong effort to build an electric car, according to people with knowledge of the matter, abandoning one of the most ambitious projects in the history of the company.

Apple made the disclosure internally Tuesday, surprising the nearly 2,000 employees working on the project, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the announcement wasn’t public. The decision was shared by Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams and Kevin Lynch, a vice president in charge of the effort, according to the people.

The two executives told staffers that the project will begin winding down and that many employees on the car team — known as the Special Projects Group, or SPG — will be shifted to the artificial intelligence division under executive John Giannandrea. Those employees will focus on generative AI projects, an increasingly key priority for the company.

The Apple car team also has several hundred hardware engineers and vehicle designers. It’s possible they will be able to apply for jobs on other Apple teams. There will be layoffs, but it’s unclear how many.

Apple, based in Cupertino, California, declined to comment.

In the end, Apple was facing a cooling market for EVs. Sales growth lost steam in recent months after high prices and a lack of charging infrastructure discouraged mainstream buyers from shifting to all-electric vehicles. General Motors Co. and Ford are pivoting to producing more hybrid vehicles after confronting lackluster EV demand and manufacturing bottlenecks, and automakers across the industry are slashing battery-electric car prices, production targets and profit forecasts.

 

Ouch ... it's almost a textbook example of a passing fad ...

 

Ouch ... it's almost a textbook example of a passing fad ...

Or the accountants finally woke up to economic realities.

 

Tesla is kicking it.

 

Tesla is kicking it.

I bought an Exxon membership. I was tired of being forced to buy that overpriced diluted and dirty gas at Chevron.

 

BYD sales suddenly crash worldwide as China's 'blood bath' destroys demand

Toyota says its better to pay Tesla for credits than waste money investing in EVs

 

Winter-Proof Lithium-Ion Battery Works At Minus 80 Degrees

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Demonstration FAN electrolyte batteries show outstanding ionic conductivity at room temperature, the team claim, and also charge and discharge well from -80°C to 60°C (-112° to 140°F). At -70°C (-94°F), FAN’s performance beat some alternatives by a factor of around 10,000 times.

These batteries maintained their performance over 3,000 cycles at 6°C (43°F).

 

A battery that can put out its own fire: Scientists develop a novel design
View attachment 314721​

That's really needed. Those EV battery fires are almost impossible to extinguish with traditional fire fighting equipment.

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-growth-company-no-growth-130559327.html
Tesla Gets Tagged With Once-Unthinkable Call: Sales Will Fall

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/analysis-china-lithium-boom-slows-230649810.html
Analysis-China lithium boom slows as sagging prices batter high-cost miners