We really cannot think of electric vehicles and portable electronic devices like laptops and mobile phones without using lithium-ion batteries. But the fact of the matter, or rather, should we say, the real problem, is that they have highly toxic materials like cobalt that are often used for the cathodes of such batteries, which essentially threaten the environment as well as the health of people across the countries in which they are mined. And with all this said, there is also a dearth of such metals, as their reserves are very limited.
Sulphur making them Sustainable and powerful
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin research team has gone on to achieve a decisive breakthrough when it comes to battery technology. Led by Professor Dr. Michael J. Bojdys, the team has gone on to create a high-performance cathode that is sulphur-based. It is worth noting that sulphur is a sustainable alternative to materials that are commonly used in lithium-ion batteries since it is less toxic and abundant, unlike cobalt, which, as we have pointed out before, is very limited.
But the storage capacity of batteries where sulphur is used as a cathode material has thus far dipped rapidly, however, the researchers have now been able to solve this problem. The study results pertaining to this have found a place in the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Professor Bojdys says that this development happens to pave the way for sulphur electrodes as a much more viable choice than conventional metal-based cathodes. It can also fundamentally change the way one goes on to store and make use of energy. The development represents an important step that has been taken towards a more sustainable future.
Making use of polymer chemistry to solve the sulphur-shuttle problem
Due to the sulphur-based cathodes, the mobility of sulphur has gone on to lead to the degradation of the battery, which is an effect commonly called the sulphur-shuttle. In this newly developed solution, sulphur gets encapsulated in an exclusive microporous polymer network so that its particles get retained. This kind of battery technology not only goes on to increase the performance and service life of the batteries, but at the same time also avoids the issue of scarce resources.
Speaking of Professor Dr. Michael J. Bojdys, he is an expert when we talk of sustainable energy materials, and being a part of the GreenCHEM funding initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, he is aiding to transform the chemical sector in the Berlin capital region through blending science and industry in order to create a circular economy that is based on sustainable raw materials.
