According to nanotechweb.org, researchers at the University of Austin at Texas have used quinones and graphite to make a new liquid battery that is cost effective, environmentally friendly and metal free.
According to nanotechweb.org, researchers at the University of Austin at Texas have used quinones and graphite to make a new liquid battery that is cost effective, environmentally friendly and metal free.
As quoted in the market news:
The new device, which has a voltage output comparable to that of lithium-ion batteries and a higher energy density than conventional redox-flow batteries, could be used to store energy from renewable sources.
Most conventional batteries today work thanks to redox reactions of metals. The metal electrodes used in these devices can be expensive and are often toxic for the environment.
Team leader Guihua Yu said:
When designing our ‘green’ battery, we were inspired by the important role of quinones (a class of organic compounds) in nature. We used hydroquinone aqueous solution as the liquid cathode and graphite in an aprotic electrolyte as the anode. The redox reaction occurring in the device mimics the bioelectrochemical process that quinones undergo in nature and our novel energy storage system combines the concept and advantages of lithium-ion batteries and redox-flow batteries, while going beyond conventional ‘intercalation’ electrode materials.
