Anodes of conventional lithium-ion batteries are made of graphite, but many believe that the performance of this material reached its peak, prompting researchers to seek possible replacements. Most attention is paid to nanostructures. silicon-based, but still difficult to produce in large quantities.
A photo from open sources
But now researchers from the University of California, Riverside, overcame the problems of obtaining nanosilicon by applying a simple sand processing technology.
When Zachary Favorz, graduate student at the University of California at Riverside, worked to create more productive lithium-ion batteries, then noticed that the beach sand in San Clement, California consists mainly of silica or silica. Finding out where in the USA you could find sand with a high percentage quartz, he took several samples on the shore of the Cedar reservoir Scream in Texas.
Favorz began by grinding sand to a nanometer scale, and then led him through a series of cleaning steps that gave him color and a texture similar to icing sugar. Then he added in peeled quartz is a common salt and magnesium and heated the resulting powder. In that a very simple process, salt acted as an absorber heat, and magnesium removed oxygen from quartz – which resulted in pure silicon. Moreover, its nanostructure has formed very porous – in fact, it is 3D-silicon spongy consistency. Porosity is a key factor in increasing efficiency of battery anodes because it provides more surface area and allows lithium ions to pass through the anodes faster.
A photo from open sources
Taborz’s team developed a small-sized battery coin using a new anode and this battery is now Significantly superior to conventional lithium-ion batteries. Three times the performance of the new electrode increased battery life of various devices, including mobile phones and electric cars.
Researchers are currently looking for a way to get nano-silicon in large quantities, and plan to launch production of batteries for mobile phones.
Time
