Developed by Empa researchers, the stretchable electrolyte can also be used in flexible batteries for medical applications.
Researchers in Switzerland have developed silicone-based stretchable polymer electrolyte . Developed by Empa researchers from the Laboratory for Functional Polymers, this electrolyte could help make better solid-state batteries .
The stretchable electrolyte can also be used in flexible batteries for medical applications.Unlike most electrolytes for solid-state batteries, which are made of rigid materials, their solid electrolyte is soft and stretchable.Elastic compound has one major disadvantage for battery researchResearchers revealed that the starting polymer for the electrolyte is a polysiloxane, better known as silicone. This elastic compound has one major disadvantage for battery research: It is nonpolar and thus unable to dissolve the charged particles, the ions. The researchers led by Dorina Opris have succeeded in adding functional groups to the “backbone” of the polymer, making it a good ion conductor while retaining its advantageous elastic properties.“Today’s batteries for medical implants, such as pacemakers, are usually hard and uncomfortable for patients,” said Dorina Opris. “Our polymer can serve not only as an electrolyte, but also as a binder material for the cathode.” Electrolyte being tested in battery prototypesThe researchers are testing their electrolyte in various battery prototypes. In addition to button cells like this one, soft batteries could also be conceivable in the future. With the appropriate electrode materials, the electrolyte could also be used to manufacture flexible batteries.“The flexible polymer can be combined with different cathode active materials, enabling batteries for various applications,” said Empa researcher Can Zimmerli.The research team also pointed out that flexibility and safety are not the only advantages of the innovative electrolyte. “The material can be processed into thin films of a few micrometers in thickness, and it is scalable,” said Opris. “If produced on an industrial scale, it is also cheaper than conventional solid polymer electrolytes.” The researchers are now working on further improving the ionic conductivity of the silicone electrolyte – and at the same time looking for a suitable industrial partner to begin commercializing the technology, according to a press release.Researchers also revealed that in most batteries, the electrolyte is a flammable liquid. So-called solid-state batteries use a solid substance as an electrolyte instead. This not only makes them safer, but the solid electrolyte also allows the use of alternative materials for the electrodes, such as pure lithium metal for the anode. As a result, solid-state batteries can potentially achieve much higher energy densities, store more electricity per volume – an advantage for a wide range of applications, from electric cars to portable electronics, according to researchers.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
My Fiancé Has Developed a Baffling, Childish Way of Initiating Sex. I Dread It.Yikes.
Read more »
Why There's Simply No Need For A Smart Home Hub AnymoreEduardo developed his digital journalism background at Showmetech, where he produced reviews and covered major industry events such as Gamescom LATAM, CES, and Brasil Game Show (BGS).
Read more »
The real ‘paleo’ diet had plenty of fruits and veggiesA new study of ancient pottery adds to evidence that hunter-gatherers in Europe ate more than meat and developed early elements of cuisine.
Read more »
Why health care is so expensive in America, and what to do about itAmerica’s health care system consistently ranks as the most expensive in the developed world.
Read more »
Breast cancer, endometriosis and PCOS detection tests seen as 'game-changing'New tests are being developed to spot early signs of breast cancer and endometriosis in urine.
Read more »
Breast cancer survivor knits prostheses in Kenya instead of costly siliconeA Kenyan woman who survived breast cancer is knitting prostheses and training others to make them in a country where silicone ones are expensive. Women say the affordable prostheses are a relief and a source of dignity. One woman recalled staying indoors after her mastectomy “because I didn’t want people to label me as the ‘woman with one breast’.
Read more »