Imagine a world without batteries. No smartphones buzzing in our pockets, no laptops humming on our desks, no electric cars silently cruising down our streets. It’s a world that’s hard to picture. Batteries have become such an integral part of our lives that we often take them for granted. But the journey of these portable powerhouses is nothing short of electrifying. It spans centuries of innovation, ingenuity, and scientific breakthroughs. The “Baghdad Battery,” an ancient ceramic pot battery, was discovered in the ruins of Khujut Rabu, a village near the outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq. This remarkable artifact, believed to be over 2,000 years old, is considered the world’s oldest known battery.

A spark of genius

Our story begins in 1749 with a spark of genius from Benjamin Franklin. While conducting his famous experiments with electricity, Franklin linked up a series of capacitors and dubbed this assembly a “battery.” Little did he know that this term would stick around for centuries, becoming the household name for these energy-storing marvels. However, the real game-changer came half a century later, in 1800, when Italian physicist Alessandro Volta stacked up some copper and zinc discs, separating them with cloth soaked in salty water. Voila! The Voltaic Pile was born – the world’s first battery [1]. This stack of innovations marked the beginning of a new era in portable power, laying the foundation for the technological revolution that was to come.

Fast forward to 1859, and we meet French physicist Gaston Planté, who introduced the lead-acid battery [2]. This robust powerhouse is still around, starting most of our internal combustion engine cars. It’s like the energizer bunny of the battery world – it just keeps going and going. The lead-acid battery’s longevity is a testament to its design, proving that the oldies are the goodies sometimes.

The late 19th century was a golden age for battery buffs, with innovations coming thick and fast. In 1888, German scientist Carl Gassner invented the “dry cell” battery [3], which meant no more worrying about spilling battery acid on your Sunday best. This development made batteries safer and more practical for everyday use, paving the way for their integration into household items.

The battery boon continued with Swedish engineer Waldemar Jungner’s invention of the nickel-cadmium (NiCd) battery in 1899. Hot on its heels came Thomas Edison’s nickel-iron battery in 1900, aptly named the Edison battery [4]. These developments showcased the growing diversity in battery technology, each with unique properties and potential applications.

The need for reusability

As we entered the 20th century, batteries began to be categorized into two main types: primary (single-use) and rechargeable (secondary) batteries. Primary batteries, like the zinc-carbon variety, were perfect for low-drain devices. But as our energy needs grew, so did the demand for batteries that worked more than once. This need for reusability led to further refinements in rechargeable battery technology. The early NiCd batteries paved the way. But the development of nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries in 1989 extended the lifespan and efficiency of rechargeable power sources. However, the real revolution in battery technology came in 1980 when American physicist Professor John Goodenough (yes, that’s his real name, and yes, he was good enough) invented a new type of lithium battery [5]. Lithium, being one of the lightest elements with high electrochemical potential, offered high voltages in compact and lightweight packages. This breakthrough laid the foundation for the lithium-ion batteries we know and love today [5].

Figure 1. John B. Goodenough’s battery, © Johan Jarnestad/ The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Goodenough’s work continued. In the 1990s, he introduced a stable lithium-ion cathode based on lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). This advancement offered improved thermal stability and safety, allowing for the production of large-format cells that could be rapidly charged and discharged. It was like giving batteries a superpower – faster, stronger, and safer than ever before.

Modern marvels

Today, lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous, powering everything from our smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles. These modern marvels boast an energy density of 200-300 Wh/kg, a far cry from their predecessors. Companies like Tesla have pioneered the use of these batteries in electric vehicles. Their Model S boasts an impressive 85 kWh battery pack. Tesla’s new battery cell, the 4680, is based on solvent-free technology. These cells are also made to be tables to provide faster charge transfer.

Figure 2. Exploded view of the parts of the 4680 cell. The components are drawn based on the measured dimensions of the cell, current collector disks, and the jelly roll [7]. © 2023 Ank et al., Published on behalf of The Electrochemical Society by IOP Publishing Limited

Despite the success of lithium-ion batteries, the quest for better power sources continues. Researchers are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of the next big breakthrough. They’re using cutting-edge techniques like micro-CT and electron microscopy to study battery components at different lifecycle stages. It’s like giving batteries a full-body scan, looking for ways to make them safer, longer-lasting, and more efficient.

The future of battery technology

The future of battery technology looks positively charged with possibilities. Scientists are exploring alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, with innovations in sodium-ion, lithium-sulfur, and lithium-oxygen batteries underway. These potential successors promise even more significant energy density and improved safety. For instance, researchers at UC San Diego are working on enhancing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries by adding silicon to the anode [8]. They’re also developing batteries that can operate in extreme temperatures. Imagine a world where your phone doesn’t die in the cold or overheat in the sun! The impact of these advancements extends far beyond just powering our gadgets. As we move towards a more sustainable future, batteries play a crucial role in renewable energy storage. They’re helping to solve one of the biggest challenges in renewable energy – how to store power when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.

A part of our daily lives

As Stanley Whittingham, a key figure in battery research, remarked at a recent conference, “Lithium batteries have impacted the lives of almost everyone in the world.“ And he’s right. From the moment we wake up to our phone alarms to when we plug in our devices before bed, batteries are an integral part of our daily lives. But the story of batteries is far from over. As our world becomes increasingly electrified, the demand for more efficient, safer, and environmentally friendly batteries continues to grow. The ongoing research and development promise even more advanced batteries in the future, driving technological progress and improving our everyday lives in ways we might not even imagine yet.

So, the next time you plug in your phone or start your car, take a moment to appreciate the incredible journey of the humble battery. From Franklin’s stack of capacitors to the powerhouses in our pockets today, batteries have revolutionized our world. And who knows? The next big breakthrough could be just around the corner, ready to spark a new era of innovation.

Ultimately, the story of batteries is a testament to human ingenuity and our never-ending quest to harness and store energy. It’s a reminder that even the most ubiquitous technologies have rich histories and exciting futures. As we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, one thing is sure – the future of batteries is looking bright, and it will keep us all charged up with anticipation.

Reference

[1]  “Guarnieri, Massimo. “Before Lithium-Ion Batteries: The Age of Primary Cells [Historical].” IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine 16.2 (2022): 73-77.”. 

[2]  “Kurzweil, P. “Gaston Planté and his invention of the lead–acid battery—The genesis of the first practical rechargeable battery.” Journal of Power Sources 195.14 (2010): 4424-4434.”. 

[3]  “Mertens, Joost. “The development of the dry battery: Prelude to a mass consumption article (1882–1908).” Centaurus 42.2 (2000): 109-134.”. 

[4]  “Carlson, W. Bernard. “Thomas Edison as a manager of R&D: the case of the alkaline storage battery, 1898-1915.” IEEE Technology and Society Magazine 7.4 (1988): 4-12.”. 

[5]  “Goodenough, John B., and Kyu-Sung Park. “The Li-ion rechargeable battery: a perspective.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 135.4 (2013): 1167-1176.”. 

[6]  “Shin, Joon, and Hieu Duong. “Electrochemical performance of dry battery electrode.” Electrochemical Society Meeting Abstracts 233. No. 3. The Electrochemical Society, Inc., 2018.”. 

[7]  “Exploded view of the parts of the 4680 cell. The components are drawn based on the measured dimensions of the cell, current collector disks, and the jelly roll.”. Lithium-Ion Cells in Automotive Applications: Tesla 4680 Cylindrical Cell Teardown and Characterization. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Volume 170, Number 12

[8]  “Zhang, Ying, et al. “Monolithic Layered Silicon Composed of a Crystalline–Amorphous Network for Sustainable Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.” ACS nano (2024).”.

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