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Rethinking the lithium-ion battery revolution

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This is pure media hype and fear-mongering. There are literally tens of millions of lithium ion batteries in use world-wide, made by a huge range of suppliers with varying qualities. That a tiny percentage of batteries malfunctioned is not an indication that the technology is flawed, merely that the manufacturers are human.

The main problem with Li-ion batteries is recycling and their cost. We should be looking for more easily recycleable and cheaper (with the emphasis on the former!) alternatives, but this doesn't mean the Li-ion batteries aren't feasible.

As for the risks with Li-ion batteries when they do malfunction... well, ANYTHING that contains a huge amount of stored power is dangerous when it malfunctions. Sudden massive energy release = bad. This isn't a problem with the Li-ion battery, its a question of energy. Anyone who can't understand this needs to go back and study basic science. Thinking that moving away from the Li-ion battery will solve this is... well, incredibly stupid.

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Options not mentioned - nano carbon super capacitors, NiMh 'Miracle Batteries' in the EV-1, Li/air batteries, and 'hither to to unheard of outside the lab' battery and electric storage systems. Al pallets used in Israeli electric car good for 1000 km trips, hints of a Bismuth miracle in the air, and more?

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Wow after all this time now you're going to reconsider Li-ion???

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Thanks Bruce.

Super capacitors sound great. They discharge themselves but I guess one could charge them only when one was sure that one was going to use them because they charge/discharge very fast and last (in terms of charge cycles) almost forever. Shame that they have about 50 times less energy density, i.e. 50 times bigger than Li-ion. While cars, planes and portable electrical equipment need small batteries, perhaps home solar panels and windmills could team up with super capacitors since size is not a problem. In this application 'charging when you know you need it' is impossible, but since the energy is free it matters less than it is dissipated. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4kcET-Wbi4 Essentially they are capacitors with fury electrodes. I really like the idea.

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There is the possibility of making battery beating ultra capacitors out of graphene, which is one atom thick carbon Journal article: http://bucky-central.me.utexas.edu/RuoffsPDFs/179.pdf

Slate article http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/alternative_energy/2013/03/graphene_supercapacitors_small_cheap_energy_dense_replacements_for_batteries.html

Graphene ultra capacitors could retain the power advantages, and approach the energy storage per kilo of Li-ion http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/122763-graphene-supercapacitors-are-20-times-as-powerful-can-be-made-with-a-dvd-burner

And are made with a DVD burner.

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And here is the graphene ultra capacitor (or super super capacitor) movie http://vimeo.com/51873011

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