NASA’s graphene battery could overtake lithium in the EV revolution

Ion batteries found in today’s hybrid vehicles are made up of three parts: the top being a cathode (made of lithium and cobalt), a filling comprised of a flammable electrolyte, and the electrode at the bottom generally made from graphite.

The chemical reactions between these components allow the batteries to charge, store, and deliver electricity effectively, but fail to perform at anywhere near the same efficiency as fossil fuels. A 2016 study from the US Department of Energy suggested we’re ‘three decades’ from closing the gap using this power source.

Beyond these drawbacks, there’s no established formula for safely recycling the batteries and the rare Earth minerals needed to build them are a constant cause of geopolitical tension.

The formation of early SABERS prototypes goes: lithium metal (instead of ion, which is like gel), a cathode of sulfur and selenium arranged in graphene mesh, and an unspecified property of NASA which is solid and free of the flammable components in lithium ions.

Preliminary tests have displayed a seriously impressive power density of 500 watt-hours per kilogram which tops the minimum requirement for commercial flights. Operative temperatures haven’t exceeded 302 fahrenheit at maximum capacity, and researchers found it required far less cooling than lithium ion too.

This could potentially mean that we’ve found a more promising avenue away from ceaseless fossil fuel usage than lithium, and before ion batteries have even made a significant dent.

‘Batteries like the technology they [NASA] are working on are needed to extend the range of electric vehicles and even enable electric or hybrid-electric aircraft, and I think it is great that NASA is advancing this next generation battery technology,’ said Dr. Matthew T.McDowell of the Georgia Institute of Technology.

It’s comforting to know that putting a man on the moon isn’t occupying all of the space agency’s time and effort. We’ve one or two sizable problems that need fixing here first.