Building a Better Battery

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/battery.html

By John Hockenberry
They run out of juice – or burst into flames – at exactly the wrong time. Can't anyone make a battery that doesn't suck?
Issue 14.11 - November 2006

3M's Safer, Lithium-Ion Batteries

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17653&ch=energy

By Kevin Bullis

New electrodes and electrolytes could mean higher energy and less danger from lithium-ion batteries. 

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Safer, Higher-Capacity Batteries

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17603&ch=energy

By Kevin Bullis 

Silver-zinc battery chemistry could replace lithium ion in laptops and other electronics--if such batteries can be made cheaply enough.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Powerful Batteries That Assemble Themselves

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17553&ch=energy

By Kevin Bullis

MIT researchers are developing low-cost manufacturing methods based on the rapid reproduction of viruses. Angela Belcher explains.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Virus-Assembled Batteries

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=16673&ch=biztech&sc=&pg=1

By Kevin Bullis

A biological template ramps up electrode performance and scales down size.

Images courtesy of Angela Belcher, MIT.Copyright Technology Review 2006

Recipe for using viruses to make an electrode:

Dip a polymer electrolyte in a solution of genetically engineered viruses.

These form a uniform coating on the electrolyte.

Dip the coated polymer into a solution of battery materials.

The viruses coat themselves with the battery material, transforming into nanowires with a regular crystal structure good for high-energy batteries.

Friday, April 07, 2006

Lithium Ion Hybrid Batteries

http://www.hybridcars.com/lithium-ion-hybrid-batteries.html

A Laptop in Every Garage
The emergence of small lightweight long-running lithium-ion batteries has helped create a market for notebook computers, cell phones, and other portable devices from the iPod to the BlackBerry. Now, efforts to scale that technology for use in car batteries could do for the automotive industry what it did for computer and phone companies. The benefit for consumers could be revolutionary: hybrid or pure electric cars with great efficiency, acceleration and range—at the same price or cheaper than today's conventional cars.

How a Battery Works

http://www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/energystorage/batteries.html

Batteries

A conventional vehicle uses a lead acid battery to start the engine and power auxillary loads (lighting, electronics, etc.). Hybrid electric, electric, and fuel cell vehicles (HEVs, EVs, and FCVs) have conventional lead acid batteries, but also have propulsion batteries, which are constructed quite differently—they are built for high power, high energy, and long cycle lives. Some low-voltage hybrid vehicles use advanced lead acid batteries, known as valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries.

NREL – National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Advanced Vehicles and Fuels Research

Energy Storage

Safer Lithium-Ion Batteries

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17362&ch=energy

By Kevin Bullis

In light of Apple's and Dell's massive recalls, will computer makers opt for batteries that are less prone to catching fire?

Friday, August 25, 2006

Safer, Longer-Lasting Batteries

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17513&ch=biztech

By Kevin Bullis

Thin-film technology is still expensive, but it could soon run remote sensors and medical implants--and one day electric vehicles.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

How Future Batteries Will Be Longer-Lasting and Safer

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17382&ch=energy

By Kevin Bullis

An MIT battery expert says advances in materials and engineering can realistically double capacities in the next 10 years, without sacrificing safety.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

More Powerful Hybrid Batteries

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=16894&ch=biztech#

By Kevin Bullis

A123 Systems has built a powerful, lightweight lithium-ion battery pack that could lower the price of hybrid vehicles.

Friday, May 19, 2006

Plug-In Hybrids Are on the Way

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=16922&ch=biztech

By Kevin Bullis

Cars with advanced batteries get 100 mpg and boast far greater range than all-electric vehicles.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Finally, Better Batteries

http://www.technologyreview.com/NanoTech/wtr_16455,318,p1.html

By Kevin Bullis

Graphite “foam,” nanotech-enabled lithium surge to market.

March/April 2006

The Lithium-Ion Car

http://www.technologyreview.com/BizTech/wtr_16624,295,p1.html

By Kevin Bullis

Altair Nanotechnologies plans to road test an advanced electric vehicle prototype.

Friday, March 24, 2006

Battery Breakthrough – An Update

http://www.techreview.com/BizTech/wtr_16410,295,p1.html

By Kevin Bullis

As President Bush talks up the need for more research, scientists are making advances in hybrids and all-electric vehicles.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Battery Breakthrough

http://www.technologyreview.com/NanoTech/wtr_16384,318,p1.html

By Kevin Bullis

A new material could mean batteries that finally make electric cars practical.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Batteries that Don't Die

http://www.techreview.com/Devices/wtr_16278,303,p1.html

By Kevin Bullis

New technologies are transforming an old workhorse, promising all-electric lawnmowers and hybrid military vehicles.

Friday, February 03, 2006

More Powerful Batteries

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=14548&ch=infotech

By Kevin Bullis

A new, fast-charging battery will make drills and hybrid cars more powerful.

Monday, November 21, 2005

The Atomic Battery

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=14548&ch=infotech

By Eric S. Brown

A breakthrough in betavoltaics could mean a 10-year battery life for sensors and medical implants.

June 16, 2005