Researchers from Stanford University have developed a new electrode developed to allow large scale storage of energy, for example windmills, in the power supply. The researchers made use of nanoparticles.
The researchers used the new electrode use of hydrated potassium ions. This is because these ions are the ideal size to be used freely by the crystalline structure of koperhexacyanoferraat to move. Because of this, the electrode is not damaged by frequent charging and discharging. Due to the small size of the nanoparticles from the electrode, this process is also very fast.
In laboratory tests, the new electrode is exposed to a 40,000 charge cycles, after which he still to more than 80 percent of its initial capacity could be charged. Current li-ion batteries can be up to approximately 400 times recharged before the remaining capacity is too low to be useful.
The research team thinks that with the new electrode it is possible to provide energy on a large scale in the power supply to save. This can be useful, for example, windmill – or zonnecelparken, in which the supply of energy depends on the available wind or sunshine. In addition to the long service life of the new electrode material has other benefits. So it is inexpensive to make and are the raw materials in large quantities available.
The researchers admit that there are also disadvantages associated with it. So would the batteries on the basis of the electrode with a lower energy density than li-ion batteries, while due to the properties of the material of the electrode only at high voltages can be used and still not have a matching truth is found.
Since the large-scale energy storage in the grid on mobile, the researchers expect that the first disadvantage for the energy companies, no major problems. Also, there is already a number of candidates for the truth found.