Safer Lithium Batteries

From cell phones and laptops to electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries are the power source that fuels everyday life. But in recent years, they have also drawn attention for catching fire. In an effort to develop a safer battery, scientists report in the ACS journal, Nano Letters, that the addition of nanowires can not only enhance the battery’s fire-resistant capabilities, but also its other properties.

In lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), lithium ions move back and forth between electrodes through an electrolyte. Traditional LIBs have a liquid electrolyte made of salts and organic solvents, but it evaporates easily and can be a fire hazard. So, researchers have turned their attention to solid-state electrolytes as potential alternatives. Several options have been proposed for solid-state electrolytes, but most are not stable or cannot meet large-scale demands. Polymer electrolytes have shown potential because they are stable, inexpensive and flexible; but they have poor conductivity and mechanical properties. So, scientists have been adding an array of compounds to enhance the electrolyte. Xinyong Tao and colleagues previously made magnesium borate (Mg2B2O5) nanowires, which had good mechanical properties and conductivity. They wanted to see whether these properties would also be imparted to batteries when these nanowires were added to a solid-state polymer electrolyte.

The team mixed the solid-state electrolyte with 5, 10, 15 and 20 weight percent of the Mg2B2O5 nanowires. They observed that the nanowires increased the conductivity of the electrolytes and allowed them to sustain more stress compared to the electrolyte without nanowires. The increase in conductivity was due to an increase in the number of ions moving through the electrolyte at a faster rate. The group also tested the flammability of the electrolyte and found that it barely burned. When the nanowire-enhanced electrolyte was paired with a cathode and anode like it would be in a battery, the set-up had a better rate performance and higher cyclic capacity than batteries without added nanowires.

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EPA Declares Burning Biomass Carbon Neutral

During a meeting with Georgia forestry leaders, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced a new decision on the carbon neutrality of forest biomass. “Today’s announcement grants America’s foresters much-needed certainty and clarity with respect to the carbon neutrality of forest biomass,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Managed forests improve air and water quality, while creating valuable jobs and thousands of products that improve our daily lives. This is environmental stewardship in action.”

In the meeting with members of the forestry community, Administrator Pruitt announced that the Agency issued a statement of policy making clear, that future regulatory actions on biomass from managed forests will be treated as carbon neutral when used for energy production at stationary sources. The Agency will also be assessing options for incorporating non-forest biomass as carbon neutral into future actions.

The EPA claimed the use of biomass from managed forests can bolster domestic energy production, provide jobs to rural communities, and promote environmental stewardship by improving soil and water quality, reducing wildfire risk, and helping to ensure our forests continue to remove carbon from the atmosphere. This policy will provide certainty to rural communities and the forest industry while supporting economic growth.

“Policy uncertainty means uncertain investment in the future of our forests. When policy limits markets, it puts economic pressure on forest owners. That not only threatens jobs, but it also puts our forests at risk, jeopardizing our water, our air and our wildlife,” said CEO of National Alliance of Forest Owners Dave Tenny. “Recognizing that forest biomass in the U.S. provides a carbon neutral source of renewable energy will encourage landowners to replant trees to keep our forests healthy and intact and provide good paying jobs well into the future.”

Last month an article in Scientific American indicated that scientists disagree with neutrality claims, expressing concern about the emissions produced by burning biomass. Many experts suggest that declaring wood burning a carbon-neutral form of energy is not only inaccurate, but a potential step backward for global climate change mitigation efforts.


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