Despite the growing popularity of electric vehicles, some motorists are still hesitant to make the conversion to a fuel-free car or truck due to range anxiety, or the worry that their EV’s battery won’t have enough juice to reach another charging station. Nevertheless, scientists have discovered a method that might give EV batteries a very significant boost, boosting the range of the car by more than ten times.
Researchers from Sogang University and the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) worked together on a study that was published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials. Instead of traditional anodes comprised of graphite or other materials, the team created a polymeric binder for a stable, dependable, high-capacity anode material.
By switching from standard anodes to high-capacity anode materials like silicon, the volume of the battery may expand as a result of the reaction with lithium. The researchers used charged polymer binders to reduce volume expansion in order to address this issue.
According to Soojin Park, professor of the Department of Chemistry at POSTECH, the study has the potential to considerably boost the energy density of lithium-ion batteries by the introduction of high-capacity anode materials, hence expanding the range of electric vehicles. Potentially ten times or more driving range could be achieved with silicon-based anode materials.
Research from the past has employed chemical crosslinking to produce both covalent and hydrogen bonds between the molecules of the binder. Chemical crosslinking bonds cannot be reversed once broken, which has made developing more dependable batteries difficult. The weakness of hydrogen bonding is the next problem.
So, the scientists created a polymer that combined the advantages of hydrogen bonding—namely, that the connections can be broken and restored—with Coulomb force, which indicates that the force of attraction between dissimilar charges (positive and negative) strengthens bonds.
The outcome? An alternating positive and negative charge layered polymer with strong, reversible bonds that can better control volume expansion has the potential to provide more durable, dependable EV batteries.
Although drivers often worry about EV range, especially in light of the general need for more charging stations, past research has shown that EV batteries often offer more than enough range for the majority of individuals, from daily commuters to weekend travelers.
Up to 37% of drivers could, according to a recent study, satisfy their regular driving requirements with EVs that had lower batteries and ranges, but even those who wanted to travel further distances could do so just well with EVs that had larger batteries.
The average motorist only travels up to 30 miles each day, while many drivers can now ride an EV for about 250 miles before needing to recharge. Many gas-powered vehicles have a range of between 250 and 300 miles, according to EverCharge. Range anxiety could soon be a thing of the past with EVs that potentially have longer ranges than conventional vehicles thanks to continued research and development into EV batteries.