After the discovery of Graphene over a decade ago, A number of uses have been devised for this wonder material including the Graphene battery. One of the identified properties of graphene is its ability to conduct electricity over 200 times the speed of regular silicon. It is this property that has been identified by researchers who are now trying to make the world’s best battery using graphene.
Currently available batteries including a variety have major drawbacks including slow discharge and recharge rates, Heavy weight and bulky. They also tend to be quite expensive due to the materials used to make them.
The use of Graphene in making batteries is supposed to change a few of these drawbacks and offer improved products. Why a Graphene Battery? Graphene is light, Easier to manufacture and a better conductor than the materials used to make the current batteries. This has made it one of the best alternative materials to be used in making better batteries.
The fact that batteries made using Graphene materials can be made into any shape necessary also counts as a major advantage. The race to the next big thing in the storage of electric energy is on, And Graphene is at the centre of it all. Below we will look at some of the steps being made in the Graphene battery breakthrough.
Graphene Battery
Graphene In Li-S Batteries
With Li-S batteries having a higher energy density as compared to their Li-ion batteries. However, They suffer from some undeniable drawbacks. The main drawback is the fact that the Sulphur electrode dissipates with regular cycles of charging and discharging. Another drawback is the fact that Sulphur is a poor conductor.
To overcome this and produce more durable Li-S batteries, Graphene materials can be used. Graphene can be used to increase the conductivity of the Sulphur electrode, As well as cover It up to prevent dissipation in charge and discharge cycles. Graphene Capacitors Another line of the application of Graphene materials in the quest to creating the world’s best battery is in developing ultra-capacitors.
It is believed that by creating Graphene ultra-capacitors, It is possible to come up with a way to harness wasted energy in Electric Vehicles when breaking. Graphene ultra-capacitors are expected to have a lower recharge time to harness this energy in seconds, And then discharge in a similarly quick fashion and provide enough power for acceleration when driving. The fact that Graphene capacitors can be built into any shape means that they can be distributed around the car for better harnessing and discharge of power.
Graphene Battery - Electric Graphene Car
Since Graphene Materials
Can be made to be highly porous, Its surface area can be increased substantially to take up more of the electrolyte used to make ultra-capacitors. This increases their capacity to hold more energy to power electric vehicles over longer distances.
With more focus on renewable energy sources, The pressure to come up with a Graphene battery breakthrough is more pronounced given that these sources usually require a way to store the energy generated. By improving current battery designs or coming up with completely new ones using Graphene their capacity, Efficiency and weight can be improved upon.
