Image: ReVolt Technology Limited.Tired of changing your cell-phone batteries often? Wish to have longer runtime for your battery? Well, the solution is in the pipe. The existing battery technologies – the Al-ion, Ni-metal hybrid – have reached their limits. And there is a new one taking shape. Metal-air battery.
The Swiss based ReVolt Technology has come up with the novel idea. The new technology offers longer durability at a lower price as compared to the existing. The battery technology is based on 6 years of fundamental research at SINTEF, Norway.
Any effort to improve upon the fuel cell technology would face barriers from the cost factor. ReVolt Tech claims that the only solution to this quagmire is a combination of battery and fuel cell technology: the metal-air battery.
“Such batteries have a high potential for energy density and low production cost,” states the white paper on the technology issued by the company.
Batteries which use this technology are already in the market. But they have a serious shortcoming. They are just primary non-rechargeable batteries and hence can be used only in such devices as the hearing aid.
To solve these, one needs to cross a few barriers: inability to deliver sufficient power, high degradation rate and loss of power over time, lack of an adequate option for recharging, the unsuitability of non-electrical refilling, space and power consuming peripherals and higher cost.
ReVolt claims to have successfully overcome these obstacles.
Metal-air batteries – with a negative electrode made of from metals such as zinc (Zn), aluminium (Al), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), lithium (Li) and a positive electrode made from a porous structure with catalytic properties for the oxygen reaction – work by converting the oxygen in the atmosphere into hydroxyl ions in the air electrode. These ions migrate to the metal electrode and oxidise the metal contained in the electrode.
The reaction takes place on finely dispersed catalysts with a high surface area for reaction. By careful control of the hydrophobicity and the pore size distribution, a stable three phase zone is established inside the electrode.
The widespread use of Zinc in such batteries is due to the high energy density of zinc and its chemical stability in the electrolyte.
“Development of ReVolt’s portable battery has been achieved by focusing on the areas
of power, battery life, rechargeability and compact size,” claims the white paper. the company has identified certain issues which needs to be resolved before the commercial launch of the batteries.
One major concern that the company is addressing is the tendency of the Zinc battery to stop working after a few recharges. If this along with other issues related to power and size be resolved the new tech battery is ready to head to the market.
ReVolt’s new battery, which offers better power, longer lifetime, rechargeability and compact size is all set to revolutionise mobile power generation. The company expects to commercialise the zinc-air battery by next year. If this happens it would be a big step towards a sustainable energy future – and maybe the time is not far when cars run with Zinc-air batteries.
