Stanford university scientists have invented the first batch of quick charge, more durable and more low-cost high-performance aluminum battery. Researchers said the latest science and technology provides now used widely in many commercial battery safer alternatives.

"We developed a aluminum rechargeable battery, it can replace the existing storage devices, such as harmful to the environment of the alkaline batteries, or fire risk of lithium ion battery." Hongjie Dai, a chemistry professor at Stanford university (Hongjie Dai). "Our research and development of new battery not on fire, even if you drill through the battery."

Dai and his colleagues at the innovative aluminium ion battery research is published in the April 6 of the journal nature. Aluminum low cost, low flammability, and have high charge storage ability, so attractive materials has been used as a battery.

In the past few decades, researchers have devoted to research and development business feasible aluminium ion battery, have ended in failure. Which one of the most important challenge is to find after repeated charge and discharge is still able to generate enough voltage of materials.

Aluminium ion battery consists of two electrodes: a negatively charged by aluminum anode and a positively charged graphite cathode.

"People tried different materials used as cathode," dai said. "We accidentally found that the problem of the simple solution is to use graphite, graphite is essentially carbon. In our study, we found some types of graphite materials can produce very good feature."

Stanford team experimental battery installed aluminum anode and graphite cathode, at the same time in a flexible polymer package pocket full of ionic liquid electrolytes. "The electrolyte is actually the liquid salt at room temperature, so it's very safe."

In addition to small electronic devices, aluminum battery can be used for storage of renewable energy in the power grid. "Has a long cycle life of battery power grid need to store and release energy quickly," explains.

"Our latest unpublished data showed that aluminum battery can be recharge tens of thousands of times. It's hard to imagine for grid storage built a huge lithium ion battery." Aluminum ion technology can also provide one-time alkaline batteries more environmentally friendly alternatives. "Millions of consumers to use 1.5 v AA and AAA batteries, our rechargeable battery can produce aluminum 2 volts. This is more than any voltage aluminum battery can produce higher." But wearing said still needs more improvement to achieve match the lithium ion battery voltage.

"Our battery can only be half of a typical lithium-ion battery voltage, but improve the cathode materials should be able to eventually increase the voltage and energy density. In this case, we create the battery will satisfy all your vision battery characteristics: inexpensive electrode charging, safe, high speed, flexible, and a long life. I have seen this kind of original new batteries, it's really exciting."

Graduate Gong Ming, Stanford university, a co-author of the study (Ming Gong said. Aluminum battery more security than traditional lithium-ion batteries, which are widely used in millions of laptop computers and mobile phones, dai said. "Lithium ion battery may be a fire hazard.

Wear mentioned the United States and delta air lines, for example, recently decided to ban to passenger transport a large number of lithium battery. "In our study, video shows you drill through the aluminum battery pocket it will also be able to continue to work after a period of time and will not fire." Dai said. "Lithium battery, by contrast, is likely to be on fire - in the form of unpredictable in the air, in the car or in your pocket.

In addition to security issues, and we are in the aluminum battery performance has made a major breakthrough. "One example is super fast charging. Smartphone users know that lithium ion batteries take hours, but the Stanford team said" with (their) aluminum battery model, battery charging time sharply reduced to a minute ".

Durability is another important factor. Other laboratory research and development of aluminum battery died after 100 time charge - discharge cycle. But the Stanford team research and development of battery after 7500 time charge - discharge cycle still guarantee the battery performance not decline or loss. "This is the first research and development after thousands of times cycle still maintain the stability of the super fast aluminium ion battery."

The study authors wrote. Typical lithium ion battery, by contrast, can only be maintained for 1000 time charge - discharge cycle. "Aluminum battery another characteristic is flexibility." Gong said. "You can bend or fold it, so it is applied to flexible electronics (flexible electronic devices) potential. In addition, aluminum or cheaper than lithium metal."

The study of other researchers also includes scientists from Taiwan's industrial technology research institute access limbang Chang (Meng Chang Lin), hunan university Lu Bingan (Bingan Lu) and postdoctoral scholar Wu Yingpeng (Yingpeng Wu).

The king of the other authors include Stanford university deferred (Di - Yan Wang, GuanMing cloud (Mingyun Guan), Michael angel (Michael Angell), Chen Changxin (Changxin Chen) and Yang Jiang (Jiang Yang); As well as the national Taiwan normal university obing Joe (Bing - Joe Hwang).

The research backed by the U.S. department of energy (doe), Taiwan's industrial technology research institute, the global climate and energy project at Stanford, Stanford shooter walcott energy research institute, and the support of the ministry of education.