Batteries + Carbon Nano tubes!!🤯🔋
Just recently in TKS we learned about nanotechnology. I was amazed by how much research and technology is done on the nano scale. One of the most interesting things that I discovered was carbon nano tubes. Carbon nano tubes are used for a variety of different things but I was most interested in how they can be used for battery storage. I find this so interesting because currently I am working on projects to advance our transportation and the largest thing holding me and this industry back is battery technology.
Lithium ion Batteries Just Can’t Keep Up
Currently the most common battery used for devices and cars is lithium ion. These batteries work by taking lithium atoms and putting them into a metal oxide so they become stable, alone lithium atoms can be dangerous because it is a reactive metal. In the process of putting the lithium in the metal oxide without making it unstable you must have a route for lithium to go through which in in these batteries is the electrolyte. You must also have a route for the electrons to go through which is the circuit. When you charge the battery you are moving lithium atoms onto the anode or the positive side of the battery through the electrolyte. The electrons in the lithium travel through the charger until they reach the anode so that the electrons and the lithium bind to it. The anode is made of graphite. Graphite has many advantages in this use case but there is also a drawback as there is with everything. One of the main problems with graphite is that it is very bulky and because of this can not hold as much lithium and electrons.
After charging the lithium wants to go back to the metal oxide and the electrons try to get across through a circuit. This is what gives us electricity but it can also cause a problem when the battery is left charged. If the the lithium stays in the charged excited state for a long period time it will cause the battery to lose some charge and it will not last as long. For more information on how lithium batteries work watch this video by Learn Engineering. There is a problem with lithium batteries as they do not last very long, they can lose charge over time and you cannot leave them charged for long periods of time. Lithium ion batteries are the source of power for millions of electronics and unfortunately they have not advanced very much. There must be more people working on advancing battery technology in order to advance other technologies that require batteries. Advanced battery technology will not only benefit industries and technologies that use batteries but may possibly open up the opportunity for other industries to benefit from new battery systems.
Carbon Nano tubes Will Completely Disrupt The Battery Industry
A few very smart scientists have made a battery with carbon nano tubes in it. It works by using carbon nano tubes as a replacement for the graphite in the anode. This is beneficial because carbon nano tubes are less bulky and have more surface area to hold more lithium and electrons. This could dramatically improve the performance of the batteries by allowing them hold more electrons which there for makes the battery last longer. For more information on how this is being done watch this presentation by Waterloo Engineering were they explain their battery design HERE. I can guarantee that people will develop this technology and then carbon nano tubes will completely disrupt the battery industry. I can not wait for this technology to become mainstream because it will finally allow me and others to be able to advance our transportation without the huge bottle neck of batteries.
If Carbon Nano tubes Do Come Mainstream In Batteries It Will Benefit So Many Industries!!
Like I said, advanced transportation and other industries heavily rely on battery technology. Many of these industries need to advance and the only thing holding them back is battery technology so if these carbon nano tube batteries become feasible it will be a top selling product. This technology will shape our future. Imagine being able to efficiently deliver supplies and resources to places that need it but are so challenging to reach because of the train. This and many other great use cases will be possible with carbon nano tube batteries. For more use cases of battery technology in industries read this article HERE.
To recap, I have told you the problem in current batteries, how carbon nano tubes will make them better and how the world is in need of supply of new and better batteries, so if any thing in this article made you think “I am so excited for these batteries to come because it could change the way our products are made and how the final product looks” then you better get ready because these batteries are coming and they will change the world.