The Future of Batteries, Sawdust?

[Data Holmes]

Silicon sawdust in a graphene cage, to be exact.

http://m.phys.org/news/2016-01-silicon-sawdust-graphene-cage-boosts.html

In testing, the graphene cages actually enhanced the electrical conductivity of the particles and provided high charge capacity, chemical stability and efficiency," said Yi Cui, an associate professor at SLAC and Stanford who led the research. "The method can be applied to other electrode materials, too, making energy-dense, low-cost battery materials a realistic possibility.

batteries from this could allow for smaller personal electronics, more efficient batteries for cars, trucks, and homes. the increases in efficiency and reduced size could make commercial, residential, and industrial battery systems that could allow for greater expansion of alternative energy sources like solar to be far more functional and see electric vehicles that have the range and power to fully replace fossil fuels as the primary source.

If this can really be adapted to a practical process and scaled up to mass production levels, it could be a game changer in many areas.

what does everyone think? Will this lead to viable electric vehicles? home battery storage for solar power on a local level? all new categories of personal electronics? implantable electronics like pacemakers or sensors?

 

[Dryson]

Interesting article.
What applications could this battery be used for?

 

[sojourner]

Hate to say it, but this forum is littered with "breakthroughs" in battery technology. If and when they manage to get one to market I'll be excited.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

Not just this forum, but in so many places it is practically a meme by now. I am not poo pooing this one though as I have not read it yet. But I do admit, I expect it turn out like the 'fusion on the horizon' claims.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Hate to say it, but this forum is littered with "breakthroughs" in battery technology. If and when they manage to get one to market I'll be excited.

That's my issue.

It's not that people are selling snake oil, but this is an active area of research, and new breakthroughs get announced all the time, then fade away as it turns out the technology isn't scalable, or (more often) can't be repeated.

In fact, I find the latter especially troubling: unless you've had your result independently repeated, maybe don't start blabbing about your amazing breakthrough to the tech press.

 

[Santaman]

Yeah.. its always that they're "working on it" but as long they're just at that stadium nothing will come out of it.

 

[Dryson]

Everyone usually rejects something new because they are not used to it. That includes new theories as well involving physics that would go against the establishment.

...one mile port bow.

 

[Dryson]

Everyone usually rejects something new because they are not used to it. That includes new theories as well involving physics that would go against the establishment.

...one mile port bow.

 

[sojourner]

We're not rejecting anything here. We're just waiting to see if it actually pans out before getting excited.

(not sure what a "...one mile port bow" is?)

 

[Robert Maxwell]

(not sure what a "...one mile port bow" is?)

I think that's @Dryson's "cute" way of saying "shots fired."

 

[sojourner]

He definitely missed the boat then.

 

[Silvercrest]

He posted it twice. He may be trying for a flanking maneuver.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

Everyone usually rejects something new because they are not used to it. That includes new theories as well involving physics that would go against the establishment.

...one mile port bow.

You could repeat what you just said in one of 1000 threads about other battery breakthroughs that never made it. I see people saying this exact thing in defense of perpetual energy schemes and conspiracy theories. It is also usually part of multi-level marketing sales pitches. It is the snake oil salesman's battle cry.

That said, if this goes to market you can bet I won't reject it, but based on the odds would be happy to make a bet with you that it will not.

I love new ideas, but one needs to always approach them with a certain level of skepticism. Being a healthy skeptic is a valuable skill and it will literally help you learn things. You should try it out.

 

[sojourner]

It isn't that these battery breakthroughs are bad or junk science, it's that they just never make it past the laboratory stage for whatever reason.

 

[Data Holmes]

Interesting article.
What applications could this battery be used for?

I was actually thinking specifically of the areas on smaller personal electronics, and when combined with wifi charging for implantable electronics within the human body like pacemakers or forearm sub dermal computers or cell phones.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

It isn't that these battery breakthroughs are bad or junk science, it's that they just never make it past the laboratory stage for whatever reason.[/QUO

Yeah good point. I meant my reply to be much more against his argument then the reported battery research. I do not put battery research in the same category as perpetual energy machines, even if individual breakthroughs are unlikely to go to market.

 

[publiusr]

I just like that its sawdust. Have your iceberg carrier and your batteries the same thing!

I have a book on the old Atlas rocket. People were fed up with water lines freezing up at the LOX pits--until some "rural engineering" was brought to bear.

They put horse manure over the lines to keep them warm.

I fully expect future generation-starships to have mules on them .

 

[tharpdevenport]

Hate to say it, but this forum is littered with "breakthroughs" in battery technology. If and when they manage to get one to market I'll be excited.

Yes, every year there is a new breakthrough in something that people speculated could be a game changer, or the researchers had high hopes for, then we never hear from them again or the product wasn't the wonder thing it was supposed to be.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get into my flying car and go to Wal-Mart.