Traditional batteries require rare metals and complex manufacturing processes. What would happen if we tried to simplify? A team of researchers asked this question, developing an eco-friendly battery that uses only water and clay. The preliminary results are promising and open up new perspectives (and not just for use on Earth). Now I'll tell you everything.
How the eco-battery works
The operating principle is different from conventional batteries. Instead of using metals for the electrodes and a lithium salt solution, this environmentally friendly battery is based on two electrodes of graphene (him again!) immersed in a solution of water and clay. The real innovation lies in the structure of the clay. Its layers contain tiny microscopic channels, just a nanometer thick. When these channels are filled with purified water, the liquid behaves in surprising ways.
Water, confined in such small spaces, becomes an “active fluid” that allows the separation of opposite charges when the particles move between the two electrodes. It is this mechanism that allows the battery to store energy.
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The tests showed remarkable results. The eco-friendly battery produces up to 1,6 volts of energy and can be fully charged and discharged for 60.000 cycles without losing efficiency. I am particularly struck by the fact that these results were obtained with such simple and common materials. The choice to use basic components is not accidental: the researchers have deliberately simplified the design to make it as versatile as possible.
Green battery, prospects for space exploration
The simplicity of construction opens up interesting scenarios for applications in extreme environments, such as space. The team has already analyzed the types of clay present on Mars, identifying some variants compatible with the battery design. The possibility of building eco-friendly batteries using materials found on Mars represents a significant advantage for future human missions to the red planet. This would eliminate the need to transport heavy batteries from Earth.
Researchers have already conducted a detailed analysis of the types of clay present on Mars, identifying several valid options for the construction of these batteries. All the technical details have been published in a study on arXiv. The innovative approach of this research demonstrates how the most effective solutions can arise from simple and common materials.
Beyond conventional batteries
This is not the only innovation in the field of batteries. Other technological advances have led to the development of all sorts of batteries, even those on paper able to bend and adapt to any shape. The combination of these developments suggests that the future of batteries could be very different from what we know today. Sustainability and adaptability appear to be the key features for the next generations of energy storage devices.
There is still a long way to go to make batteries more sustainable, but this research shows that the solutions may be simpler than we think. Sometimes, nature already provides us with the tools we need.