What is the Best Alternative to Lithium Ion Batteries for Electric Cars?
The Pacific Northwest National Lab recently announced an electric car battery breakthrough in some batteries. So, there is a need to know Best Alternative to Lithium Ion Batteries for electric vehicles. Batteries made of lithium might be hazardous when thrown away. Although they can be recycled and the lithium recovered for use in new batteries, lithium recycling is not well established, and development in this area appears to be at a standstill.
There are many alternatives to Lithium Ion batteries for Electric cars. A few of them are as discussed below:
Alternative to Lithium Ion
Aluminium
One of the most recyclable materials, aluminium is a widely available resource. As a result, numerous scientists are working to create lithium-replacement battery technology using aluminium. Some of these are even more effective than regular batteries. According to Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG), its aluminium-ion battery charges 60 times more quickly than a lithium-ion battery would.
Salt
In terms of their chemical composition, salt and lithium are very similar. It has a small environmental impact, nevertheless. As a potential remedy for the lithium issue, sodium-ion batteries have been suggested by several. Since sodium has a higher density than lithium, no practical solution has yet been created, therefore sodium-ion batteries would be heavier and less powerful than their lithium counterparts.
Iron
Compared to lithium, iron is said to have a larger “redox potential” or propensity to degrade. Compared to lithium batteries, iron-flow batteries are now much bigger. They can no longer be used for phones or electric cars, but they may still be acceptable for useful grid storage.
Recovery of high-value materials is frequently hampered by the need to separate the various battery materials. Therefore, in order for electric-drive vehicles to be successful from a sustainability perspective, electric car battery design that takes into account disassembly and recycling is crucial. It will also be simpler and more affordable to recycle batteries if their components—such as -materials and cell designs—were standardized.
Limitations of Lithium Ion Batteries and Possible Solutions
Battery maintenance is minimal with lithium-ion, which is something that most other chemistries cannot say. There is no memory, and the battery doesn’t need to cycle on a timetable. Furthermore, lithium-ion has a self-discharge that is less than half that of nickel-cadmium, making it an excellent choice for contemporary fuel gauge applications. Lithium-ion battery disposal results very little damage.
Lithium-ion has disadvantages despite overall benefits. It is delicate and needs a protection circuit to continue operating safely. The protection circuit, which is incorporated into each pack, controls the peak voltage that each cell can reach while charging and prevents the cell voltage from falling too low during discharge. In order to avoid temperature extremes, the cell temperature is also tracked. Most packs have a maximum charge and discharge current restriction of between 1C and 2C. With these safeguards in place, there is almost no chance that metallic lithium plating will happen as a result of overcharging.
Limitations
Apart from its advantages, there are some limitations as well. Lithium ion limitations are as written below.
- protection circuit is necessary to keep voltage and current within safe ranges.
- Even when not in use, things age. Storing them at 40% charge in a cool location lessens this effect.
- Transportation restrictions: Regulatory control may be applied to the transport of bigger quantities. Batteries that you carry on your own person are exempt from this restriction.
- Approximately 40% more expensive to produce than nickel-cadmium.
- Metals and chemicals are not fully developed; they change constantly.
Lithium ion vs water
The U.S. Energy Department discovered that a burning lithium-ion battery may be doused with water to put it out. However, a large amount is needed to finish the job. One of the researchers’ battery test fires required more than 2,600 liters of water to put out.
Comparison of Different Battery Chemistries
Batteries are often controlled as Universal Waste, a category of hazardous waste, by the federal government. These materials include mercury, silver, nickel, cadmium, and lithium. Batteries need to be gathered, recycled, and treated to prevent harmful material from leaching into landfills and waste sites, which could eventually end up in our drinking water. Additionally, improperly handled expended batteries could ignite and perhaps start a fire.
For non-rechargeable lithium batteries, there are three main chemistries.
Lithium-Sulfur Dioxide, first (LiSO2)
The most popular battery type for small industrial battery applications is lithium-sulfur dioxide.
Lithium Manganese Oxide 2. (LiMnO2)
Non-rechargeable lithium manganese dioxide batteries are utilised in AA, C, and D batteries as well as several industrial applications. These can fire when shorted across the terminals since they are very light and have a high energy level.
Lithium Thionyl Chloride 3. (LiSOCI2)
For AA batteries with a greater voltage rate and other industrial applications, lithium thionyl chloride is employed.
There are however some older battery technology rechargeable batteries from earlier generations that are still in use; these are often bulkier rechargeable batteries used in tools and computers. For rechargeable lithium batteries, there are primarily two chemistries. Now we are going to tell you all the battery comparisons also.
Lithium-ion (Li-Ion)
These are the most popular rechargeable batteries, and they have more energy and are lighter than the more traditional NiCad batteries. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are utilized in tools, phones, and computers.
Lithium polymer
These batteries, which are often referred to as lithium-ion polymers, are utilized in rechargeable devices such as cell phones.
Conclusion
Although Lithium-ion batteries are said to be best for electric vehicles. But there are some limitations and drawbacks to that. There are many alternatives for Lithium Ion Batteries, which are better for Electric Cars- such as Aluminium, Salt, Iron, Silicon, Magnesium, etc. A few of them are discussed earlier in this article.