A group of scientists from China conducted a successful experiment to test new material – termogalvanic facilities of the gel. It was specifically designed to eliminate Achilles ‘ heel of modern lithium-ion batteries, which become very hot during operation. The idea is not just to reduce excessive heat, and immediately turn it into electricity.
Now to maintain powerful batteries in the electric vehicles in optimal thermal conditions of their forced cooled. That is, first, the system consumes energy for heating the element, and then cooling – it is hardly a rational approach. Chinese scientists have developed a hydrogel with a special structure, in which heat is released more ions. They move between the two electrodes and generate an electric current.
The heat that remains after the launch of the electrons goes into heating contained in the hydrogel of water. Eventually it evaporates, removing this heat from the system. But after the termination of the heated hydrogel on the contrary, begins to absorb moisture from the air until stabiliziruemost. Scientists still find it difficult to say how will the system behave during prolonged constant work – there is a risk of drying out of the hydrogel.
In the experiment, we use a film thickness of 2 mm, which wrapped the battery of the smartphone. Scientists were able to reduce the temperature by 20 degrees and to develop the 5 microwatt of energy. Of course, the rate is low, but the technology is experimental. Like the system recovery of braking energy, it can be an auxiliary module in the overall grid of the electric vehicle.
Source — American Chemical Society