ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Thanks to a
research discovery in battery development, your phone charge might
last a little longer.
That's one of the findings of Monash University, a leading
university in Australia, and the
Toyota Research Institute North America (TRINA), a division of
Toyota Motor North America R&D (TMNA) based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The new battery materials discovery involves non-volatile,
non-flammable and electrochemically stable electrolytes that could
be applied to batteries. The discovery is outlined in a study
published in the leading international journal Energy and
Environmental Science.
Technologies such as cellphones, laptops, and hybrid and
electric cars rely on Li-ion batteries. The configuration of such
batteries is predominantly a graphite anode and a cobalt-based
material cathode. The electrolyte typically consists of an organic
electrolyte that is generally flammable and volatile. The
Monash-TRINA group has found new electrolytes, based on liquid
salts, that can be used in batteries to eliminate flammability and
increase stability.
"We have also shown that these new electrolytes could provide
enabling technologies of rechargeable magnesium and lithium metal
batteries," said study author Professor Doug MacFarlane from the Monash School of
Chemistry. "These super stable electrolytes may also allow use of
higher voltage materials in Li-ion batteries, increasing their
energy storage capacity."
TRINA principle scientist Rana
Mohtadi, who is the project leader, said, "The new materials
were based on a small "icosahedral dice-shaped ion" called
carborane anion, which is made of boron clusters. Research has
shown recently that these materials are very stable and applicable
beyond lithium battery chemistries."
"We wanted to exploit the stability of these anions to make
ionic liquids that enable high-energy density batteries based on
metals such as lithium and magnesium," said Dr. Mohtadi. "In fact,
this is the first to time show that ionic liquids can even function
in magnesium batteries."
Dr. Oscar Tutusaus, a TRINA researcher directly involved in the
development of these materials, highlighted the novelty of using
highly stable boron clusters to prepare ionic liquids for energy
storage.
"Boron clusters are at the core of our most recent contributions
to energy storage. We believe that these currently exotic materials
can have a strong presence in future technologies," Dr. Tutusaus
said.
Dr. Mega Kar, project leader at
Monash who also is an Australia-India Strategic Research Fund
Fellow, noted that access to reliable electricity is a significant
challenge in many parts of the world.
"We hope our new materials will become a platform for the
development of an exciting new generation of stable, low-cost
batteries," Dr. Kar said.
ABOUT TOYOTA
Toyota (NYSE:TM), Toyota Research Institute North America a
division of Toyota Motor North America Research & Development
(TMNA R&D) aims to redefine next-generation cars as not simply
a form of transportation, but as a fully connected vehicle. In
fact, since 2003, Toyota has been awarded more patents than any
other automaker, including autonomous vehicle patents (more than
1,400). Based in Ann Arbor,
Michigan, Toyota puts the brightest thinkers from across
America together to focus on letting people live more safely and
comfortably. Globally, Toyota spends approximately $1 million per hour on R&D to ensure that
Toyota rapidly and continuously develops cutting-edge, high-quality
and appealing vehicles.
Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights
the way it partners with community, civic, academic and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move,
anything is possible. For more information about Toyota,
visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
TOYOTA
Cynthia Mahalak, Technology
Communications Manager
Toyota Motor North America
M: +1 (734) 660-5046
E: Cynthia.Mahalak@toyota.com
MONASH UNIVERSITY
Silvia Dropulich Marketing, Media and Communications Manager,
Science
T: +61 3 9902 4513 M: +61 (0) 0435138743
E: silvia.dropulich@monash.edu
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SOURCE Toyota Research Institute