Jessica Stuart

Molten air – a new, highest energy class of rechargeable batteries

This study introduces the principles of a new class of high-energy batteries and their fundamental chemistry is demonstrated. These molten air batteries use air, a molten electrolyte, are quasi-reversible (rechargeable), have the capability for multiple electrons stored per molecule, and have the highest intrinsic electric energy storage capacities. Here we show three examples of the new batterys electron transfer chemistry. These are the metal, carbon and VB2 molten air batteries with respective intrinsic volumetric energy capacities of 10 000 (for Fe to Fe(III)), 19 000 (C to CO32−) and 27 000 W h l−1 (VB2 to B2O3 + V2O5), compared to 6200 W h l−1 for the lithium air battery. Higher energy capacity, cost effective batteries are needed for a range of electronic, transportation and greenhouse gas reduction power generation devices. Needed greenhouse gas battery reduction applications include overcoming the battery driven “range anxiety” of electric vehicles, and increased capacity energy storage for the electric grid.

Fabrication of VB2/Air Cells for Electrochemical Testing

A technique to investigate the properties and performance of new multi-electron metal/air battery systems is proposed and presented. A method for synthesizing nanoscopic VB2 is presented as well as step-by-step procedure for applying a zirconium oxide coating to the VB2 particles for stabilization upon discharge. The process for disassembling existing zinc/air cells is shown, in addition construction of the new working electrode to replace the conventional zinc/air cell anode with a the nanoscopic VB2 anode. Finally, discharge of the completed VB2/air battery is reported. We show that using the zinc/air cell as a test bed is useful to provide a consistent configuration to study the performance of the high-energy high capacity nanoscopic VB2 anode.