for the chemist...........
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have found that a bright yellow powder, known as common fluorenone, is a frontrunner in using low-cost organic compounds that step away from traditional lithium-ion batteries.
The material has proven to be a stable, energy-dense source when partnered with flow battery systems that store energy for grids, despite taking some “chemical persuasion” at first.
https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/05/24/meet-clean-energy-s-unlikely-secret-weapon-scented-candlesCommon fluorenone is readily available as a waste product from coal tar and from the manufacture of benzoic acid, a common food additive.
It can successfully synthesise into a tiny battery no larger than a postage stamp that holds incredible energy density, losing only 3 per cent of its energy capacity throughout the duration of the experiment.
PNNL’s battery operated continuously for 120 days, ending only when other equipment unrelated to the battery itself wore out. The battery went through 1,111 full cycles of charging and discharging, the equivalent of several years of operation under normal circumstances.
The speed and high energy retention of this battery could sidestep many of the issues that come with keeping clean energy grids going in the face of structural and severe weather challenges.
"This is a great demonstration of using molecular engineering to change a material from one widely considered impossible for use into something useful for energy storage," says Wei Wang, who leads the flow battery team.
