For a long time the world of batteries has been dominated by lithium. Their good behavior in general lines, especially the high energy density that they are capable of storing -this makes them irreplaceable-. But, at present, things are not so positive and this material is becoming scarce and its price is skyrocketing. Well, some MIT engineers have shown a good solution that uses other materials. The new batteries that have been developed and have been patented in a company called Avanti (where large-scale tests have already begun through high-intensity tests), have aluminum and sulfur as their main elements -which are used in each of the electrodes. And, in addition, it must be added to the salt as an electrolyte. Therefore, we are talking about materials that are very cheap and easy to obtain. Many virtues that make these new batteries ideal Apart from the economic factor, which is not exactly less and where these new batteries surpass lithium ones, it must be said that this new development meets the conditions that are sought in an element of this type . Thus, for example, the materials used are not flammable, so there is no risk of explosion or fire in the event of impact or high temperature problems (we are talking about withstanding temperatures of up to 200 degrees without failing). An important detail is that salt as an electrolyte has proven to be very effective. Apart from offering a low melting point, it also prevents the creation of dendrites between the electrodes, and which is one of the main causes of short circuits in lithium batteries and, therefore, that they stop working. Another good feature of these batteries developed with common materials at MIT is that their durability is excellent. Thus, in the tests that have been carried out, it has been verified that the integrated cells offer support for hundreds of loads without suffering any wear. In addition, the speed they offer is magnificent, since we are talking about less than a minute to go from 0 to 100, something that would make them perfect for both mobile devices and for use in electric cars. Therefore, we are talking about a discovery that is quite effective. A future that is hopeful Taking into account the difficulties that exist in maintaining adequate progress with lithium batteries, both in terms of improving their capacity and when acquiring the material itself, this development is hopeful, since we are talking about an option simple to use and cheap. So much so, that it is calculated by the discoverers that the price of these batteries would be one sixth of what they cost today. And, best of all, the materials are available practically anywhere – and, therefore, there would be no shortage of universalization. >
