New anode technology speed up battery charging

A team of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, discovered a breakthrough anode technology that could enable batteries recharged up to half of their original capacity in less than 30 seconds.
The group led by nanoscientist Tijana Rajh and battery expert Christopher Johnson, discovered that nanotubes composed of titanium dioxide can switch their phase as a battery is cycled, that dramatically improved the battery’s performance.
“We did not expect this to happen when we first started working with the material, but the anode spontaneously adopted the best structure,” Rajh said. “There’s an internal kind of plasticity to the system that allows it to change as the battery gets cycled.”

“This is highly unusual material behavior,” added Jeff Chamberlain, an Argonne chemist who leads the laboratory’s energy storage major initiative. “We’re seeing some nanoscale phase transitions that are very interesting from a scientific standpoint, and it is the deeper understanding of these materials’ behaviors that will unlock mysteries of materials that are used in electrical energy storage systems.”

Tests have also showed that titanium dioxide is a more reliable and safer material alternative to graphite currently used in battery anodes.”Every type of test we’ve conducted on titanium anodes has shown them to be exceptionally safe,” Chamberlain said.

The research was a collaborative venture of two Argonne facilities, the Center for Nanoscale Materials and the Advanced Photon Source.

[Read More From Source: Physorg ]

Taiwan EV Industry Moving into Original Brands

Taiwan’s electric vehicle (EV) industry is moving from parts manufacturing to marketing Taiwan’s own brands. Taiwan is also working vigorously to develop its own EV technology, placing it among countries like Brazil.
“ICT (information and communication technology) products from Taiwan are very competitive in the world,” said Denise Hung, a specialist from Taiwan’s Automotive Research and Testing Center (ARTC). “We use this advantage to integrate them with the auto industry in order to create our own innovative technology for electric vehicles. This advantage allows Taiwan to join the global electric vehicle market and also take Taiwan’s auto industry to a new generation.”

The Yulon Group is leading the revolution by bringing in their LUXGEN car brand. The first model LUXGEN7 MPV was released in 2009, equipped with a Taiwan made 150kW, 220N-m torque electric motor, similar to the Tesla Roadster.
Another model is the LUXGEN EV+. “The LUXGEN EV+ can be seen as the only option that generates no carbon emissions and delivers eco-friendly clean power when compared with other energy technologies, such as hybrid power,” said Leo Chang, manager of LUXGEN’s Electric Vehicle Department.

Another Taiwanese company, Pihsiang Machinery Manufacturing Co. (PMMC), recently showcased its Venus full-electric mini-car and patented DOSBAS safe battery system at the 2011 Motorcycle Taiwan show in Taipei. The Venus will be sold domestically by the end of 2011, though it has already passed stringent road tests in Europe.

Meanwhile, E-Ton, another Taiwanese manufacturer has developed its EV6A, or “e-go” e-scooter. The 87 kg light weight electric vehicle (LEV) has an electric range of about 50 kilometers, at 45 km/h, and can climb 11.3-degree hills.

Universal Well Industry Co., Ltd is also brought its Uray LEVs to market. The company recently introduced the Pioneer 1.5, an electric motorcycle that has 45 km/h maximum speed and 13-degree hill-climbing capacity.

Other major Taiwan EV manufacturers include Amita (battery modules), Chroma (motor and power control), and Garmin, the world’s largest supplier of telematics.

[Read More From Source: Prnewswire ]

GE Makes Electric Vehicle Push With Solar-Powered Charging Carports

As the adoption of electric vehicles becomes more widespread and automakers roll out new models, GE continues to lead the development of the critical infrastructure technology needed to connect all of those EVs to the grid. Last month, GE and Nissan announced a joint R&D effort to speed the creation of the charging infrastructure necessary for widespread EV adoption. And just recently, GE announced a partnership with Inovateus Solar to build solar-powered electric vehicle-charging carports, marrying two sustainable technologies. And now Spanish airports are getting in on the action: last week GE Energy Industrial Solutions teamed with Spanish energy supplier Endesa to supply and operate the EV-charging infrastructure for airport vehicles at four airports in Spain: in Madrid, Barcelona, Palma and Lanzarote.

Spanish airport operator AENA is just the sort of natural customer for switching to electric fleets: it will incorporate the EVs into the airports’ existing energy management infrastructure and the vehicles will be charged on off-peak overnight electricity tariffs. For now, the EVs are part of a three-year pilot program to assess the feasibility of switching the entire airport fleet to electric. GE will provide 53 of its DuraStation* electric vehicle chargers, which enable faster charging by integrating higher voltages and currents that require specialized equipment. In addition to charging systems like DuraStation and the Yves Behar-designed WattStation, GE Energy provides the full range of electrical systems and smart grid tech needed to build and manage a complete EV Infrastructure.

[Read More From Source: R&D Mag ]

IEC Publishes Globally Relevant EV Charging Standards

The publication of two International EV charging Standards by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) lifts a major hurdle for the EV charging infrastructure, supporting the mass adoption of electric vehicles.

The two IEC International EV Standards reflect a global consensus on the plugs and sockets that are needed to charge EVs. They pull together the huge volume of research and development surrounding EV charging mechanisms from around the world, whilst addressing the diverse electricity infrastructure and regulations in different countries.

With their help it may be possible to avoid the very real risk that incompatible solutions would be developed by separate organizations in different regions, something that would clearly be against the best interests of the worldwide vehicle manufacturing industry. Different national approaches would thwart the mass marketability of EVs, requiring customizations that would lead to higher prices and slower market access.

A clear call for International EV charging Standards

Major car makers predict that up to 10% of cars sold in 2015 will be EVs and Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Mercedes-Benz, declared at a major motor show a few days ago: “Internal combustion engines’ days are numbered…”. With major manufacturers and countries driving this technology forward, related infrastructure development simply can’t wait.

[Read More From Source: SF Gate ]

Bio-Mimetic Electrolyte Transport Technology For Li-ion Cells

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)’s latest development is inspired by nature. They used the physicochemical phenomenon that helps water transport in trees to fill the porous electrodes of lithium-ion batteries more rapidly with liquid electrolyte. The new process increases the throughput of battery production and reduces investment costs.

The electrodes inside modern batteries are as porous with pore sizes in the micrometer range to facilitate a very large surface area for the chemical reactions during charge and discharge. “But the pores have to be filled completely with the electrolyte for optimized operation,” explains Dr. Wilhelm Pfleging from KIT. The liquid electrolyte is the transport medium, in which the charged ions can diffuse between anode and cathode in the battery. “Without electrolyte, there is no charge equalization inside and no electric current flow outside.”

Currently, significant time and expenditure in battery production results from trying to fill the small pores in conventional methods for maximizing battery performance. The liquid is forced to enter the material by expensive and time-consuming vacuum or storage processes at elevated temperatures. “Our new process allows reduction of this time span from several hours down to a few minutes,” confirms Pfleging. To improve the wetting properties of the electrodes, his team modified the electrodes by a mechanico-chemical technology. As a result, the electrolyte spreads very rapidly over the complete material and performance data of batteries based on this principle are much better.

[Read More From Source: KIT ]

Coating Technology To Enhance Li-ion Battery Life 2.7 Times

Aleese ( Advanced Lithium Electrochemistry Co., Ltd.), a Taiwanese manufacturing company has presented its breakthrough innovation at the 220th Electrochemical Society (ECS) meeting held in Boston, United States. This double-layer nano-carbon coating technology, will allow olivine material to be coated with different carbon compounds with thicknesses less than 5 nm so as to improve the structural integrity of the material and enhance the life cycle of batteries by 2.7 times.

The experiments performed by Aleees’ research and development team showed that application of such a technology can increase the life cycle of batteries, around 2,000 recharges at present, to more than 5,400 recharges but still retain 80% of the battery cell’s capacity. This technology will have tremendous positive influence in electric vehicle commercialization by reducing overall vehicle price.

Aleees, the leading supplier of LFP cathode material internationally and the sole producer of LFP-nano co-crystalline olivine (LFP-NCO), announced today that the decade-long debate over patent rights involving its Li-ion battery material and carbon coating technology is coming to an end.  Aleees, one of only four companies granted global patent authorization, signed an agreement with LiFePO4+C Licensing AG on July 1st, 2011.

[Read More From Source: Business Wire ]

Full Steam Ahead For China Li-ion Battery Business

CCID Consulting released a white paper on China’s lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery industry, as the country seeks to promote new energy technologies for automobiles (electric vehicles) and other needs.

In 2010, China’s lithium ion battery market hit RMB 27.61 billion, an increase of 37.9% compared with 2009. China produced 3.67 billion lithium ion batteries in 2010, an increase of 33.9% compared with 2009. China determined in October 2010 to cultivate new energy technologies to lead the national economy. China’s lithium-ion battery industry will grow rapidly in the country’s Twelfth Five-Year Plan, CCID Consulting reports.

The country will spend RMB100 billion on new-energy vehicles between 2011 and 2020, with lithium-ion batteries at the heart of the sector. Shanghai’s strong automotive industry will capitalize on this focus.

Regional competition will push local governments to develop high-end technologies. The industry is concentrated on the Pearl River Delta, with a production base for raw materials and low-cost labor for assembly of lithium ion batteries. In 2010, the output value of lithium ion battery in this region is RMB 7.48 billion, accounting for about 27% of the nation. However, as the inland increasingly lowers the labor costs, the labor-intensive links such as battery core assembly and PACK will gradually move from coastal areas to inland areas.

[Read More From Source: Electro IQ ]

Tags: China, Li-ion, Manufacturing

Firms Gather To Standardize Charging Infrastructure In EU

The Renault Nissan Alliance, PSA Peugeot Citroën and Mitsubishi Motors have announced that they have decided to develop and promote the technical reference for compliance of public recharge equipment for electric vehicles in Europe, based on the existing conformity brand EV Ready, originally launched by Renault and Schneider Electric.

EV Ready aims at guaranteeing interoperability between the charging infrastructure and electric and rechargeable hybrid vehicles in the market across Europe by means of a uniform scheme which is intended to cover the requirements that have to be considered in addition to the existing standards.

While keeping an eye on further development of IEC61851-1 ed2.1, which is currently in progress, the OEMs will aim to complete the development and the formalisation of the certification requirements. The validation scheme will be detailed in the coming months.

EV Ready, first launched in June 2010, is intended from the beginning to be open to a larger audience and to become a recognised benchmark in the field of charging systems for electric vehicles. The technical coverage of EV Ready goes from the low voltage transformer to the electric vehicle.

At the same time the concept keeps a strong focus on economic performance and aims to maintain openness to innovations and any future developments.

Today over sixty European companies ranging from energy providers, network operators, suppliers and installers of charging stations are already working to develop and adopt EV Ready.

[Read More From Source: Fleet News]

Tags: CHarging Infrastructure, Europe

Wireless EV Charging Soon To Be Possible

WiTricity Corporation, IHI Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation are collaborating in research to develop electric vehicle (EV) wireless charging systems compatible with electric grids. The partnership structure of three major players in the wireless charging, electric infrastructure, and EV areas coming together will accelerate the popularization of wireless charging systems for EVs by developing systems that are usable “right out of the box” for individuals, governments, and other entities including power companies in order to make it easier and quicker for them to roll out such systems.

The aim of the collaboration is to make EVs remarkably more convenient for owners by accelerating the popularisation (and thus availability) of wireless charging at homes and shopping centre parking lots, etc.

Wireless charging systems allow transfer of energy from a source placed on or under the ground, to a vehicle equipped with an energy capture device, with no physical contact between the vehicle and the charging source. WiTricity has already developed and brought to market its patented magnetic resonance wireless charging system.1 The system that WiTricity has developed can transfer energy further and more efficiently in comparison to conventional systems such as electromagnetic induction and microwave transmission, able to deliver up to 3.3 kW of charging power over distance of 20cm (almost 8 inches) at more than 90% efficiency. Systems based on WiTricity technology offer smaller size and lighter weight as compared to conventional systems, and operate with no moving parts.

WiTricity CEO, Eric Giler noted about the new collaboration: “Electric vehicles offer great potential for reducing CO2 emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. However, they must be user friendly, and wireless charging is an important feature that greatly improves the user experience. We are excited to work with industry leaders MMC and IHI on this important program.”

Mr. Kazuaki Kama, IHI’s President and Chief Executive Officer, stated “Wireless charging is strategic to IHI. As a supplier of public infrastructure, IHI is deeply motivated to develop systems that are environmentally sound. We believe that user friendly wireless charging will contribute to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles – an important step forward for 21st century society. Working together with Mitsubishi Motors and WiTricity, leaders in electric vehicles and wireless technology, we aim to become a leading world-wide supplier of wireless charging stations for public, commercial, and residential parking environments.”

Mr. Osamu Masuko, President of MMC added: “Like we have done with promotion and education of electric vehicle infrastructure such as quick-chargers and being involved with “smart grid” technology, we are happy to enter into a new phase of electric vehicle infrastructure development. I am confident we can be a major contributor along with WiTricity and IHI to quickly make widespread wireless charging for electric vehicles a reality.

[Read More From Source: EV World]

Tags: CHarging Infrastructure, Wireless Charging

Extracting Lithium From Spent Brine

A new process is in operation to extract lithium from the spent brines of a geothermal power plant near the Salton Sea​ in California by Simbol Materials, at a demonstration facility in Brawley, Calif.

“We developed the technology and the process to take the brines coming out of geothermal power plants‘ post–power production and harvest lithium, manganese, zinc and, maybe in the future, some other materials, and we convert those into usable compounds,” says Simbol CEO Luka Erceg. “We’re essentially leveraging the best renewable resource and co-producing strategic materials.”

Geothermal power plant produce electricity using the underground heat to produce steam for the generator turbines. Simbol would borrow the spent warm brine from the power plant. The 90 minutes process will run the fluid through a pipeline and a series of purification steps consisting of membranes, filters and adsorption materials to extract valuable elements like lithium. After adding water the brine will go back to the power plant for re-injection to underground. The extraction method was developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, under the U.S. Department of Energy funding.

The company plans to expand its initial lithium purification facility in 2012 as well as begin construction on the geothermal-tied version as an addition to such power plants being built in the region by EnergySource. The location is  a huge opportunity since it’s already crowded by 10 geothermal power plants. “You can produce 16,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate for every 50-megawatt geothermal power plant,” Erceg notes.

Unfortunately the 500 metric tons per year production of lithium will be marketed by the ITOCHU Corp., a Japanese partner of Simbol, to battery-makers in Asia,” Erceg notes. “The reality is, today, for lithium ion batteries, manufacturing still means Asia.”

[Read More From Source: Scientific Amercian]

Tags: Materials, Optimising Materials