Silicon nanotubes li-ion batteries make electric cars run longer
Although li-ion batteries are the normal choice for hybrids and electric vehicles, distance is still a limiting factor in the acceptance of these cars. Now Silicon nanotubes formed into a li-ion anode could greatly improve driving distance between charges.
According to Technology Review, researchers at Stanford University and Hanyang University in Ansan, Korea have developed new silicon nanotube technology to replace the graphite electrodes that are normally used in li-ion batteries. Both universities have been working with LG Chem, a leading Korean li-ion battery manufacturer. The new technology will improve the charging storage ability of li-ion batteries by 10 times. That improvement translates into increased driving distance for electric vehicles and increased electric only travel for hybrids.
Silicon has proven to be very brittle. The lithium that gets absorbed by the silicon can actually break it reducing the ability to charge down to no more than a few times.
In order to fight this problem, the researchers have developed silicon nanotubes that are stronger and more absorbent. The nanotubes have proven to be better anode material than either the silicon nanowire or the nanopourous silicon they had previously developed and tried.
The silicon nanotube anode looks like a bunch of hollow straws…The shape also helps relieve mechanical strain when the battery is charged and discharged, because there’s extra space for the silicon to expand and contract
Don’t expect li-ion batteries with silicon nanotube anodes to go into production tomorrow. The researchers are still trying to develop a cathode that will have the same storage capacity.
What will this mean for drivers? Well, a hybrid usually only has a 30 minute window of electric only driving before the gasoline engine kicks in. When this new technology is perfected and integrated in li-ion batteries, driving time on electric only power will be increased to three or four hours without the need to recharge
Finacing $ 50 million to Develop Low-cose Solar Energy
Chief executive Damoder Reddy of solar cell developers Solexant Corp recently said that the company is preparing a new round of financing schemes, hoping to introduce its thin-film solar module into market, and share the market with the world's largest thin-film solar module maker First Solar Inc (FSLR-US).
Solexant wished that they could raise $ 50 million befor the first quater of 2010 , which will be officially used to launch a 100-megawatt production line program.
Solexant have raised $ 22.5 million capital with investors X / Seed Company, Trident Capital, Medley Partners and Firelake Capital through two rounds of financing activities.
American First Solar is the world's lowest-cost solar module manufacturers,whose cadmium telluride solar energy technology can make the production only cost about 87 cents per kilowatt, less efficient than crystalline silicon modules.
Reddy claims that, Solexant cost-effective solar technology have gone beyond the First Solar. He said the key technology lies in the cost of electricity per watt. If they can reduce manufacturing costs to 50 cents per watt, the module can be set at the price of $ 1 per watt.Therefore,the overall cost including installation is of between $ 2and $2.5 per watt.
Solexant programs to compete with First Solar from three aspects: lower production costs, more production facilities , and a low total cost of the system to seize business opportunities.
If the financing process well goes on , Solexant plans to increase production in 2011 ,which is expected to be of very large sales volume in 2012.
Reddy said it was too early to say the company could take a public offering (IPO) that was also the company's long-term development plan.
Honda reveals a new battery-powered unicycle
TOKYO - Honda Motor Co has unveiled an electric battery-powered personal transporter, a unicycle shaped like the number 8 that riders drive by leaning in the direction they want to go.
The "U3-X," which Honda will show at the Tokyo Motor Show next month, is the latest to join a growing number of futuristic transportation devices, like the much bigger Segway.
But while the Segway has been used outdoors and in large constructions, the 65 cm (2 ft 2 inch) tall Honda machine is small and light enough to use at home.
Honda's machine has a one-wheeled, "8"-shaped body on which the rider sits and changes direction by leaning forward, backward or sideways. It moves at a maximum speed of 6 kph (3.7 mph), about the pace of brisk walk.
The self-balancing U3-X, weighing in at less than 10 kg (22 lb), is powered by a lithium-ion battery and runs for an hour per charge.
Honda Chief Executive Takanobu Ito told reporters the machine could one day become the smallest ways of transportation for human beings, though it is purely in the development stage and the automaker has no plans to start selling them now.
Ito said the U3-X's small size would make it an ideal indoor transport device.
"If my legs get a little weak, I would like to have this around in my house. It's easy to move around," said the 56 years old CEO.
The European Commission approved Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. to acquisite Sanyo Electric
Under the condition that part of the European battery production operations must be sold after the two enterprises merged to eliminate competition concerns,The European Commission agreed to approve Japan Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. to acquisite Sanyo Electric on 29th.
The European Commission said that Matsushita Electric agrees with the attached conditions, which means the transaction would not make extraordinary threats to the European market competition, therefore, they decided to approve it.
Matsushita Electric Industrial and Sanyo Electric Co. reached an acquisition agreement in December last year with a transaction valued about 90 billion U.S. dollars. The combined company will become the global electronics industry giant.
The European Commission believes that after the acquisition of Sanyo Electric Co, Matsushita would pose threats and intensify the competition to the market of rechargeable coin cell battery and some other industries in Euope, thus the merged firm is required to divest battery manufacturing operations in Europe.
Long before the approvement of European Union,the transaction had earlier won Japan's antitrust authority approval in September. Next, the deal also needs to get approval of some other antitrust authorities such as ,the United States and China .
France and the United States companies will jointly to manufacture automotive batteries
September 23, Xinhua Net Reported in Paris that the U.S. Dow Chemical Company Dow Kodam 22 announced that it will cooperate with the French Dassault enterprise group, to produce batteries of electric cars and hybrid vehicles.
The company said in a statement that it had reached a preliminary agreement with dassault cooperation. Board member Heinz Haller said: "This strategic cooperation with Dassault shows Dow Kodam has been accelerate the supply of vehicle battery systems and the determination of market expansion."
In fact, the two companies started cooperation since 2008, and have developed a lithium-ion battery technology called "clean cell".
Exploitation of clean automobile energy sources has become a developing trend in the automotive industry. On Germany Frankfurt Motor Show, the German Volkswagen, the America Ford and other auto giants have demonstrated their next generation of electric cars or hybrid vehicles.