Author: admin

Posted on by

Cobalt Nanocrystals Make Lithium-Ion Batteries Age More Slowly

In todays Li-ion batteries, cobalt oxide cathodes improve performance and durability. While, such cobalt cathodes show the same performance as nickel oxide cathodes, they come at a higher price. Nickel cathodes, in turn, crack and dissolve quickly, which reduces their lifespan. Nevertheless, nickel cathodes are very popular because they are so cheap.

Now, the research team led by Jaephil Cho of the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea has developed a cathode made of more than 80% nickel. The researchers reported in the journal Energy & Environmental Science that a cathode coated with nanocrystals of cobalt aged more slowly than conventional nickel cathodes. After recharging 400 times at room temperature, the battery was able to retain 86% of its original capacity.

The novel nickel cathodes could help meet the growing demand for rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles if cobalt prices rise in the future.

(Photo: Wikipedia)

Posted on by

list

MFC


MEC

P2G

Electrosynthesis

Hydrogenase

Electron Transfer

Biofuel

Nano

Water

Wastewater

Other

Posted on by

Decarbonizing Planet Earth – Nuclear vs. Renewable

Adding to the controversial scientific debate whether renewable or nuclear energy decarbonize the atmosphere quicker, Lovins et al of the Rocky Mountain Institute in Basalt, Colorado, argue that renewable energy is doing a better job. In their recent study, published in Energy Research & Social Science, they analyzed 17 years of recent energy resource development worldwide to support their conclusion. Their paper stands in contrast to numerous previous studies, including a 2016 report published by Cao et al in Science, claiming that nuclear power is better suited for fast decarbonization. However, the nuclear waste problem still remains unresolved.

Posted on by

Starting up Power-to-Gas Reactors

In their paper “Effect of Start-Up Strategies and Electrode Materials on Carbon Dioxide Reduction on Biocathodes“, which was recently published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Saheb-Alam et al. teach us how to start-up bio-electrical systems for CO2 conversion to methane gas. They compared pre-acclimated with pristine electrodes and found that there is no difference in start-up time. Their findings stand in contrast to previous observations where pre-acclimation has indeed helped to improve reactor performance. For example, LaBarge et al. found that electrodes acclimated with methane-forming microbes, called Methanobacterium, do reduce start-up time.