Seaweed could give lithium-ion batteries a green power boost ...

Seaweed isn't just good for wrapping delectable pieces of rice-padded fish; it’s also the missing ingredient researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Clemson University have been looking for in order to make lithium-ion batteries more efficient. According to a paper published in the latest issue of Science, the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found in many of today’s gadgets, may be improved thanks to the living cells from alginate, a material that’s extracted from the common and quick-growing brown algae. Currently, lithium-ion batteries include a non-active binder that's crucial to the battery's stability. The polymer binder is mixed with an electroactive <a href="http://www.ghdstraightenerscheapest.com/ghd-2010-new-blue-serenity-p-5726.html"><strong>ghd for hair</strong></a> graphite powder and the mixture is then spread on the metal foil that collects an electrical current when dried. The researchers found that if silicon particles are used as the base of the electroactive powder instead of graphite, the battery can hold more ions. However, the silicon-based binder seems to crack as the particles swell up to 4x their original size while the battery is charged. The researchers found that the solution to this problem is to use the algae-based binder that won't crack as the anode swells like the silicon version. This allows a silicon anode to be used with the alginate binder. Since seawater has such a high concentration of ions, researchers thought it might be the perfect natural binder. After some tests, they found that the alginate from the <a href="http://www.ghdstraighteners2011-cheap.com/ghd-iv-gold-styler-p-5725.html"><strong>cheapest ghd straighteners uk</strong></a> brown algae did in fact prove to be an effective binder for the silicon anode. The alginate can be extracted by boiling the kelp in soda water. Â*This left the researchers <a href="http://www.ghdstraighteners2011-cheap.com/2010-new-ghd-butterfly-pink-p-5740.html"><strong>ghdÂ*purpleÂ*Â*</strong></a> with a battery that's overall less expensive, can store more energy, and can last longer without having to use any of the toxic chemicals currently used in the battery’s manufacture. Alginate can be dissolved in water, which means you can manufacture it in a cleaner way than the current process. Gleb Yushin, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, said making less expensive batteries that can store more energy and last longer, thanks to the alginate, could “provide a large and long-lasting impact on the community.” Of course, all this might be academic if the new, safe jelly-like polymer gel batteries turn out to be a suitable replacement for rigid lithium-ion units. via MIT Technology Review and Georgia Tech