Ultra-fast charging aluminum battery offers safe alternative to conventional batteries

[Bosonic]

Ultra-fast charging aluminum battery offers safe alternative to conventional batteries

Stanford University scientists have invented the first high-performance aluminum battery that's fast-charging, long-lasting and inexpensive. Researchers say the new technology offers a safe alternative to many commercial batteries in wide use today.

"We have developed a rechargeable aluminum battery that may replace existing storage devices, such as alkaline batteries, which are bad for the environment, and lithium-ion batteries, which occasionally burst into flames," said Hongjie Dai, a professor of chemistry at Stanford. "Our new battery won't catch fire, even if you drill through it."

Dai and his colleagues describe their novel aluminum-ion battery in "An ultrafast rechargeable aluminum-ion battery," in the April 6 advance online edition of the journal Nature.

Aluminum has long been an attractive material for batteries, mainly because of its low cost, low flammability and high-charge storage capacity. For decades, researchers have tried unsuccessfully to develop a commercially viable aluminum-ion battery. A key challenge has been finding materials capable of producing sufficient voltage after repeated cycles of charging and discharging.

More: http://phys.org/news/2015-04-ultra-fast-aluminum-battery-safe-alternative.html

[Yo_Mama]

1. That does seem like it has terrific potential. n/t

[Thor_MN]

2. Wonder how much they will charge for it? n/t