Researchers from the University of Maryland are currently working on a project wherein they are developing batteries made of wood capable of storing large amounts of energy at once.
Researchers from the University of Maryland are currently working on developing a tiny, long-lasting, efficient and environmentally friendly battery using a sliver of wood coated with tin. The components of this battery are a thousand times thinner than a piece of paper, according to a news release.
Regular batteries use lithium but researchers have used sodium instead in this new battery, making it even more environmental friendly. Since sodium is not capable of sorting energy as effectively as lithium, these batteries will most probably be used in projects like solar energy at a power plant, where large amounts of energy need to be stored at once.
Authors of the study, Liangbing Hu, Teng Li and their team revealed that normal lithium batteries are incapable of withstanding the swelling and shrinking that happens as electrons are stored in and used up from the battery. However, they found that wood fibers allow the sodium-ion battery to last more than 400 charging cycles.
"The inspiration behind the idea comes from the trees," said Hu, an assistant professor of materials science. "Wood fibers that make up a tree once held mineral-rich water, and so are ideal for storing liquid electrolytes, making them not only the base but an active part of the battery."
During the study, researchers discharged and recharged the wood battery hundreds of times and found that while the wood wrinkled, it remained intact.
"Pushing sodium ions through tin anodes often weaken the tin's connection to its base material," said Li, an associate professor of mechanical engineering. "But the wood fibers are soft enough to serve as a mechanical buffer, and thus can accommodate tin's changes. This is the key to our long-lasting sodium-ion batteries."
The findings were published in the American Chemical Society Publications.
