Could a new ion exchange membrane improve water purification and battery energy storage?

Imperial College London scientists have created a new type of membrane that could improve water purification and battery energy storage efforts. The new approach to ion exchange membrane design, which was published on December 2, 2019, in Nature Materials, uses low-cost plastic membranes with many tiny hydrophilic (‘water-attracting’) pores.

Are spent lithium ion batteries valuable secondary resources?

The spent LIBs are valuable secondary resources for LIB-based battery industries; for example, the lithium content in spent LIBs (5–7 wt%) is much higher than that in natural resources 4.

Are NREL batteries sustainable?

Sustainability is another concern at the forefront for NREL researchers. As such, research teams are prioritizing material and product designs that reduce the use of rare critical materials, such as cobalt, currently used in Li-ion batteries.

Could new ion-transport membrane technology reduce the cost of storing energy?

Now, a multi-institutional team led by Imperial’s Dr. Qilei Song and Professor Neil McKeown at the University of Edinburgh has developed a new ion-transport membrane technology that could reduce the cost of storing energy in batteries and purifying water.

What role do batteries play in the transition to a more electrified Society?

In the transition to a more electrified society, batteries will play an essential role in helping store energy from renewable sources to supply electricity for buildings, transportation, and grid applications. Emerging battery technologies must focus on reducing costs, while maintaining lifetime and density performance.

Are solid-state batteries a viable alternative to traditional batteries?

Solid-state batteries could offer improved stability and energy capacity over traditional battery technologies; however, more research is needed to optimize these batteries for widespread use in vehicle or stationary applications. From chemistry compositions to overall battery structures, the opportunities for battery advancements are endless.