The Pittsburgh Startup That Has Big Plans for Batteries
April 22nd, 2014Via: Guardian:
From cell phones to laptops to electric cars, the world is becoming increasingly dependent on batteries. Unfortunately, this convenience comes at a cost: some common battery materials are toxic and require special treatment after their end of life. A new company is hoping to combat this cycle: It has begun using more benign materials to make its energy cells.
Aquion Energy, a Pittsburgh-based startup that uses water and salt for some of the key components in its batteries…
One factor that distinguishes Aquion is the novel cocktail of materials that it uses in its batteries. Each cell has an electrode at each end, a separator to divide the two, and an electrolyte to create an electrochemical reaction with the electrodes to produce electricity. Aquion uses manganese oxide and activated carbon for the electrodes, and a sodium sulfate solution for the electrolyte. The separator is made from a synthetic material that has a structure similar to cotton.
“We are using common and benign materials of salt water, dirt and carbon,” said Ted Wiley, vice president of product and corporate strategy at Aquion. “We are using materials that are non-toxic and readily available in high volumes. And they won’t be damaging to the environment.”
