Developing an economy that produces net zero carbon emissions not only involves “capturing” carbon dioxide but changing it and putting it to use in new forms.&nbsp;Engineers at Washington University in St. Louis are heavily in the business of “carbon conversion” with multiple projects working on systems to pull carbon dioxide in and put it to good use.Most recently, the Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $29 million in grants for “carbon management” technologies, including $1.5 million of those funds going to&nbsp;<a href="https://engineering.washu.edu/faculty/Xinhua-Liang.html">Xinhua Liang,</a> professor of energy, environmental &amp; chemical engineering in WashU's McKelvey School of Engineering.&nbsp;Previously, Liang&nbsp;<a href="https://engineering.washu.edu/news/2023/Carbon-negative-concrete-products-to-be-formed-from-upcycled-waste.html">received $2 million from the DOE</a> to convert CO2 to concrete products, and this continues that work, with a twist. Liang and his colleagues have developed a thermocatalytic process that could yield useful parts for increasingly ubiquitous lithium-ion batteries that power electric cars and other devices. Liang will fine-tune this process with his co-principal investigator, Miao Yu, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University at Buffalo.&nbsp;The grant will fund Liang’s development of a low-carbon process to convert CO2 to valuable high-quality carbon nanotubes (CNTs). These nanotubes have “similar properties as commercial CNTs,” noted Liang, making them not only useful as potential anodes in batteries but doing so at a much more affordable price, a key component to scaling up these technologies.&nbsp;Lithium-ion batteries are composed of three main components: the anode (negative terminal), cathode (positive terminal) and electrolyte solution in between. The cathodes are typically made of lithium metal oxide, but the anode uses graphite, which is a form of carbon. CNTs are expected to have better performance than graphite as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries. But CNTs can be expensive to apply.But with Liang’s thermocatalytic process, they’ve drastically reduced that expense. They are taking CO2, converting it into an intermediate molecule and then a final conversion to a carbon nanotube with high capacity and high conductivity that makes it ideal for batteries. Carbon nanotubes can also be used in making composite metals and can be used in polymers and concrete products that Liang is also working on.“In order to commercialize this process, there is still a long way to go,” he adds.They will deliver a laboratory-scale prototype system capable of producing 20 grams per day of CNTs, according to the grant. Liang estimates that it could be ready for commercial use in a decade.&nbsp;But so far, they have found a way to lower the cost of CNT production from $100 per kilogram to less than $10.“This is the main advantage of our technology,” Liang said.

A 3D rendering of a carbon nanotube. Carbon dioxide can be turned into carbon nanotubes for use in lithium ion batteries and other potential products. (Image: Shutterstock)

A researcher at Washington University in St. Louis has received a grant of $1.5 million to convert CO2 into carbon nanotubes that could be used in lithium-ion batteries

Converting CO2 to solid carbon yields benefits for batteries and more

Explore Voltera's innovative project to create a seven-layer magnesium-zinc battery using printable technology. Developed with Saral Designs and employing the NOVA system, the project focuses on building lightweight, flexible, and environmentally friendly batteries on PET substrates.

The Future of Batteries is Flexible: Printing a Magnesium Zinc Battery with Saral Inks on PET

This article was discussed in our <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/0c6e89ec-2577-48b1-81ca-2b54787cba8e?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr>In 2024, more than one in five cars sold is an electric vehicle (EV). Intergovernmental agencies estimate that by 2035, <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2024/outlook-for-electric-mobility" target="_blank" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="df17f5fe-cbc3-4e3c-86ce-928e3a540089" data-entity-substitution="canonical">half of all new cars sold globally will be EVs</a>.&nbsp;While more EVs on the road sounds like great news for the environment, it could lead to complications. The electric grid is not yet ready to support the EV influx, and unaddressed capacity limitations could threaten the future of the EV industry.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzI5MDM4NTYxNjgxLWV2LWZlYXR1cmUtMS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">David Taylor, professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE); Kartik Sastry, a recent ECE Ph.D. graduate; and Michael Leamy, Woodruff Professor and director of Graduate Studies in the School of Mechanical Engineering.Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a device to help avoid grid overload: a revolutionary EV smart-charging system.&nbsp;Their optimization-based approach would not only help reduce grid stress but also enable users to customize the charging process and minimize cost, prioritize the use of carbon-free energy, or adjust the charging speed. The technology might even help promote the EV industry.&nbsp;“The EV revolution is happening so quickly that electrical utilities will find it difficult and costly to update the grid fast enough to accommodate these vehicles,” said <a href="https://research.gatech.edu/node/36005" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="df17f5fe-cbc3-4e3c-86ce-928e3a540089" data-entity-substitution="canonical">Michael J. Leamy</a>, Woodruff Professor and director of Graduate Studies in the <a href="https://www.me.gatech.edu/">George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering</a>. “We wanted to investigate a way of smart charging that considers EVs as they converge on the electric grid, which we already know is near its maximum capacity. We need to buy time for the grid operators so they aren’t overwhelmed when more EVs enter the market.”<h2 id="isPasted">Taking a Load Off (the Grid)</h2>In the southeastern U.S., during the summertime, power use peaks from late afternoon to early evening. By then, the heat of the sun has warmed up homes and buildings, and people have cranked up their air conditioners. This is also when most people come home from work and plug in their EVs, which immediately start charging. When plugged in, an EV can easily be the most significant consumer of power in a home.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzI5MDM4NTk2OTQ5LWV2LWZlYXR1cmUtMy5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The smart charger minimizes stress on the electric grid by using algorithms to distribute charging over time.“A bunch of EVs charging during the peak power load can be problematic for utilities, exacerbating electricity demand and overloading the grid,” said <a href="https://kartik.ece.gatech.edu/">Kartik Sastry</a>, a recent Ph.D. graduate in the <a href="https://ece.gatech.edu/">School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)</a> and co-inventor of the technology. “But you don’t need to start charging as soon as you come home. In most cases, there’s ample time overnight to fully charge electric vehicles.”&nbsp;The team set out to address the issue of grid overload by taking advantage of overnight surplus charging time. They developed cutting-edge optimization algorithms to distribute charging over time, thereby minimizing grid stresses while offering benefits to consumers.&nbsp;Rather than charging at full speed as soon as an EV is plugged in, the team’s smart-charging algorithms allow for gradual charging, or charging at several intervals over time rather than all at once. The algorithms also decrease the maximum power draw of a home during charging, achieving what the researchers call “peak shaving.”&nbsp;The algorithm itself plans the charging and when it will occur, based on the state of the grid and consumer preferences. The system also makes these decisions without the need for any centralized control, and without communicating with other vehicles in the neighborhood or city.&nbsp;“By using random timing and predictions of household power usage, our algorithm can effectively distribute the load,” said <a href="https://research.gatech.edu/node/36240" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="8797f559-5d41-4aea-afa6-46ef49f0b6e2" data-entity-substitution="canonical">David G. Taylor</a>, ECE professor and co-inventor of the charging system. “This means that the number of EVs in a community can increase without the local utility incurring huge expenses for infrastructure upgrades, provided these EVs use the smart charging algorithm we've developed.”<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzI5MDM4NjUzNzM1LWltYWdlcyAoMSkuanBlZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Customizable Charging</h2>The system allows consumers to customize their charging. Using an app the team designed, a consumer can control four different facets of charging: cost, carbon-free energy, speed, and battery health. The app’s slider widgets allow a user to weigh their preferences for each; based on the user’s selections, the algorithm determines how best to charge the vehicle while minimizing grid impact.&nbsp;For example, to charge their vehicle quickly, a user would move the charging-speed slider all the way to the right. Prioritizing carbon-free charging, on the other hand, programs the charger to only charge the car when renewable resources such as wind or solar are available on the grid. Choosing to charge at the lowest cost would prompt the system to charge at low-demand times based on a utility’s price schedule, allowing the user to avoid any demand charges.<h2 id="isPasted">Driving Forward</h2><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzI5MDM4NjgwOTY5LWV2LWZlYXR1cmUtMi5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The team plans to demonstrate how their smart-charging algorithms can reduce costs for entire fleets of electric vehicles.The team has published several research articles about the project in major journals. They have also built prototype hardware, completed charging case studies with individual EVs, and submitted a patent for the technology.&nbsp;Expanding beyond the system’s applications for individual consumers, the team has also developed this technology to function in commercial settings. They hope to collaborate with an EV charging station company and a public school system that uses EV buses to demonstrate how their algorithms automatically reduce fleet charging costs.&nbsp;The goal, Leamy says, is for companies to license their smart-charging algorithm technology.The researchers are also reaching out to auto companies to have their technology incorporated into EVs themselves, which would allow users to set their charging preferences right from their dashboard.&nbsp;“We hope to demonstrate that smart charging is feasible on a large scale — and also measure the benefits of doing so,” Leamy said. “We plan to show how much money consumers, companies, and school systems can save with smart charging rather than simply charging in an ad hoc fashion.”“We anticipate a significant uptick in EV adoption, which will lead to higher demand on the grid,” Sastry said. “To protect the grid and help the EV industry thrive, we must accommodate these EVs in a smart way, and that’s what we hope to achieve.”

The EV smart charger allows users to customize their charging, with the ability to weight preferences for carbon-free energy, cost, charge speed, and battery health. Credit: Allison Carter

The revolutionary system allows for cheaper, carbon-free charging and aims to reduce the burden on the electric grid as more EVs enter the roadway.

New Smart Charger May Pave the Way for More EVs

A multi-institutional research team led by Georgia Tech’s <a href="https://www.mse.gatech.edu/people/hailong-chen" target="_blank">Hailong Chen</a> has developed a new, low-cost cathode that could radically improve lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) — potentially transforming the electric vehicle (EV) market and large-scale energy storage systems.&nbsp;“For a long time, people have been looking for a lower-cost, more sustainable alternative to existing cathode materials. I think we’ve got one,” said Chen, an associate professor with appointments in the George W. <a href="https://www.me.gatech.edu/" target="_blank">Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering</a> and the <a href="https://www.mse.gatech.edu/" target="_blank">School of Materials Science and Engineering</a>.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1728519667694-Zhantao+sly+smile+device.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Zhantao Liu with the new low-cost cathode that could revolutionize lithium-ion batteries and the EV industry. Photo by Jerry GrilloThe revolutionary material, iron chloride (FeCl3), costs a mere 1-2% of typical cathode materials and canstore the same amount of electricity. Cathode materials affect capacity,&nbsp;energy, and efficiency, playing a major role in a battery’s performance, lifespan, and affordability.“Our cathode can be a game-changer,” said Chen, whose team <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-024-01431-6" target="_blank">describes its work in Nature Sustainability</a>. “It would greatly improve the EV market — and the whole lithium-ion battery market.”First commercialized by Sony in the early 1990s, LIBs sparked an explosion in personal electronics, like smartphones and tablets. The technology eventually advanced to fuel electric vehicles, providing a reliable, rechargeable, high-density energy source. But unlike personal electronics, large-scale energy users like EVs are especially sensitive to the cost of LIBs.&nbsp;Batteries are currently responsible for about 50% of an EV’s total cost, which makes these clean-energy cars more expensive than their internal combustion, greenhouse-gas-spewing cousins. The Chen team’s invention could change that.<h2>Building a Better Battery</h2>Compared to old-fashioned alkaline and lead-acid batteries, LIBs store more energy in a smaller package and power a device longer between charges. But LIBs contain expensive metals, including semiprecious elements like cobalt and nickel, and they have a high manufacturing cost.&nbsp;So far, only four types of cathodes have been successfully commercialized for LIBs. Chen’s would be the fifth, and it would represent a big step forward in battery technology: the development of an all-solid-state LIB.Conventional LIBs use liquid electrolytes to transport lithium ions for storing and releasing energy. They have hard limits on how much energy can be stored, and they can leak and catch fire. But all-solid-state LIBs use solid electrolytes, dramatically boosting a battery’s efficiency and reliability and making it safer and capable of holding more energy. These batteries, still in the development and testing phase, would be a considerable improvement.&nbsp;As researchers and manufacturers across the planet race to make all-solid-state technology practical, Chen and his collaborators have developed an affordable and sustainable solution. With the FeCl3 cathode, a solid electrolyte, and a lithium metal anode, the cost of their whole battery system is 30-40% of current LIBs.&nbsp;“This could not only make EVs much cheaper than internal combustion cars, but it provides a new and promising form of large-scale energy storage, enhancing the resilience of the electrical grid,” Chen said. “In addition, our cathode would greatly improve the sustainability and supply chain stability of the EV market.”<h2>Solid Start to New Discovery</h2>Chen’s interest in FeCl3 as a cathode material originated with his lab’s research into solid electrolyte materials. Starting in 2019, his lab tried to make solid-state batteries using chloride-based solid electrolyteswith traditional commercial oxide-based cathodes. It didn’t go well — the cathode and electrolyte materials didn’t get along.&nbsp;The researchers thought&nbsp;a chloride-based cathode could provide a better pairing with the chloride electrolyte to offer better battery performance.“We found a candidate&nbsp;(FeCl3)&nbsp;worth trying, as its crystal structure is potentially suitable for storing and transporting Li ions, and fortunately, it functioned as we expected,” said Chen.Currently, the most popularly used cathodes in EVs&nbsp;are oxides and&nbsp;require a gigantic amount of costly nickel and cobalt, heavy elements that can be toxic and pose an environmental challenge. In contrast, the Chen team’s cathode contains&nbsp;only&nbsp;iron (Fe) and chlorine (Cl)—abundant, affordable, widely used elements found in steel and table salt.In their initial tests, FeCl3 was found to perform as well as or better than the other, much more expensive cathodes. For example, it has a higher operational voltage than the popularly used cathode LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate, or LFP), which is the electrical force a battery provides when connected to a device, similar to water pressure from a garden hose.&nbsp;This technology may be less than five years from commercial viability in EVs. For now, the team will continue investigating FeCl3 and related materials, according to Chen. The work was led by Chen and postdoc Zhantao Liu (the lead author of the study). Collaborators included researchers from Georgia Tech’s Woodruff School (Ting Zhu) and the <a href="https://eas.gatech.edu/home" target="_blank">School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences</a> (Yuanzhi Tang), as well as the <a href="https://www.ornl.gov/" target="_blank">Oak Ridge National Laboratory</a> (Jue Liu) and the <a href="https://uh.edu/" target="_blank">University of Houston</a> (Shuo Chen).“We want to make the materials as perfect as possible in the lab and understand the underlying functioning mechanisms,” Chen said. “But we are open to opportunities to scale up the technology and push it toward commercial applications.”CITATION: Zhantao Liu, Jue Liu, Simin Zhao, Sangni Xun, Paul Byaruhanga, Shuo Chen, Yuanzhi Tang, Ting Zhu, Hailong Chen. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-024-01431-6" target="_blank">“Low-cost iron trichloride cathode for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries.” Nature Sustainability</a>.

Hailong Chen and Zhantao Liu present a new, low-cost cathode for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries. Photo by Jerry Grillo

A research team led by Georgia Tech’s Hailong Chen has developed a low-cost iron chloride cathode for lithium-ion batteries, which could significantly reduce costs and improve performance for electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage systems.

New Battery Cathode Material Could Revolutionize EV Market and Energy Storage

Batteries have become so integral to everyday life – powering everything from mobile devices to electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems – that people often don’t even think about them. But our increasing reliance on batteries has made considerations like their sustainability and ability to hold charge in a range of environments and the ability to reliably source materials needed to produce them urgent considerations.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1728432344954-ezgif-4-fd42337716.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Peng Bai’s research group combines stable sodium metal plated in liquid electrolyte (left) with precisely engineered particles of sodium vanadium phosphate (right) to create safe and efficient sodium batteries. (Image credit: Peng Bai, Rajeev Gopal and Ethan Boutelle / WashU)<a href="https://engineering.washu.edu/faculty/Peng-Bai.html" target="_blank">Peng Bai</a>, associate professor of energy, environmental &amp; chemical engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, received a two-year, $550,000 Partnerships for Innovation – Technology Translation award from the National Science Foundation to support his work on sodium-based batteries. The award will allow Bai to expand his prior NSF-funded research to scale up and commercialize his sodium battery technology.&nbsp;Bai’s sodium-based batteries deliberately move away from lithium and other rare elements used in traditional batteries. Sodium, a more abundant and easier to process material, promises lower production costs and alleviated supply chain vulnerabilities, fostering a more sustainable and economically efficient energy landscape. Sodium-based batteries may also offer enhanced fast-charging capabilities and improved operation in cold environments, expanding their potential application in large-scale energy storage and portable electronics, including electric vehicles.The project, “<a href="https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2431923" target="_blank">Development of high-performance long-life electrodes for sustainable sodium-based batteries</a>,” has three main goals: ensuring consistency in larger production batches, developing greener manufacturing processes using water instead of toxic solvents, and optimizing production processes at a commercial scale. These advancements would pave the way for sodium-based batteries to make their way into everyday technologies within five years, Bai says.

Peng Bai will work toward sustainable and efficient energy storage technology

Beyond lithium: Sodium-based batteries may power the future

For the past decade, disordered rock salt has been studied as a potential breakthrough cathode material for use in lithium-ion batteries and a key to creating low-cost, high-energy storage for everything from cell phones to electric vehicles to renewable energy storage.A new MIT study is making sure the material fulfills that promise.Led by Ju Li, the Tokyo Electric Power Company Professor in Nuclear Engineering and professor of materials science and engineering, a team of researchers describe a new class of partially disordered rock salt cathode, integrated with polyanions — dubbed disordered rock salt-polyanionic spinel, or DRXPS — that delivers high energy density at high voltages with significantly improved cycling stability.“There is typically a trade-off in cathode materials between energy density and cycling stability … and with this work we aim to push the envelope by designing new cathode chemistries,” says Yimeng Huang, a postdoc in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering and first author of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-024-01615-6" target="_blank">paper describing the work published today in&nbsp;Nature Energy</a>. “(This) material family has high energy density and good cycling stability because it integrates two major types of cathode materials, rock salt and polyanionic olivine, so it has the benefits of both.”Importantly, Li adds, the new material family is primarily composed of manganese, an earth-abundant element that is significantly less expensive than elements like nickel and cobalt, which are typically used in cathodes today.“Manganese is at least five times less expensive than nickel, and about 30 times less expensive than cobalt,” Li says. “Manganese is also the one of the keys to achieving higher energy densities, so having that material be much more earth-abundant is a tremendous advantage.”<h2>A possible path to renewable energy infrastructure</h2>That advantage will be particularly critical, Li and his co-authors wrote, as the world looks to build the renewable energy infrastructure needed for a low- or no-carbon future.Batteries are a particularly important part of that picture, not only for their potential to decarbonize transportation with electric cars, buses, and trucks, but also because they will be essential to addressing the intermittency issues of wind and solar power by storing excess energy, then feeding it back into the grid at night or on calm days, when renewable generation drops.Given the high cost and relative rarity of materials like cobalt and nickel, they wrote, efforts to rapidly scale up electric storage capacity would likely lead to extreme cost spikes and potentially significant materials shortages.“If we want to have true electrification of energy generation, transportation, and more, we need earth-abundant batteries to store intermittent photovoltaic and wind power,” Li says. “I think this is one of the steps toward that dream.”That sentiment was shared by Gerbrand Ceder, the&nbsp;Samsung&nbsp;Distinguished&nbsp;Chair&nbsp;in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research and a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California at Berkeley.“Lithium-ion batteries are a critical part of the clean energy transition,” Ceder says. “Their continued growth and price decrease depends on the development of inexpensive, high-performance cathode materials made from earth-abundant materials, as presented in this work.”<h2>Overcoming obstacles in existing materials</h2>The new study addresses one of the major challenges facing disordered rock salt cathodes — oxygen mobility.While the materials have long been recognized for offering very high capacity — as much as 350 milliampere-hour per gram — as compared to traditional cathode materials, which typically have capacities of between 190 and 200 milliampere-hour per gram, it is not very stable.The high capacity is contributed partially by oxygen redox, which is activated when the cathode is charged to high voltages. But when that happens, oxygen becomes mobile, leading to reactions with the electrolyte and degradation of the material, eventually leaving it effectively useless after prolonged cycling.To overcome those challenges, Huang added another element — phosphorus — that essentially acts like a glue, holding the oxygen in place to mitigate degradation.“The main innovation here, and the theory behind the design, is that Yimeng added just the right amount of phosphorus, formed so-called polyanions with its neighboring oxygen atoms, into a cation-deficient rock salt structure that can pin them down,” Li explains. “That allows us to basically stop the percolating oxygen transport due to strong covalent bonding between phosphorus and oxygen … meaning we can both utilize the oxygen-contributed capacity, but also have good stability as well.”That ability to charge batteries to higher voltages, Li says, is crucial because it allows for simpler systems to manage the energy they store.“You can say the quality of the energy is higher,” he says. “The higher the voltage per cell, then the less you need to connect them in series in the battery pack, and the simpler the battery management system.”<h2>Pointing the way to future studies</h2>While the cathode material described in the study could have a transformative impact on lithium-ion battery technology, there are still several avenues for study going forward.Among the areas for future study, Huang says, are efforts to explore new ways to fabricate the material, particularly for morphology and scalability considerations.“Right now, we are using high-energy ball milling for mechanochemical synthesis, and … the resulting morphology is non-uniform and has small average particle size (about 150 nanometers). This method is also not quite scalable,” he says. “We are trying to achieve a more uniform morphology with larger particle sizes using some alternate synthesis methods, which would allow us to increase the volumetric energy density of the material and may allow us to explore some coating methods … which could further improve the battery performance. The future methods, of course, should be industrially scalable.”In addition, he says, the disordered rock salt material by itself is not a particularly good conductor, so significant amounts of carbon — as much as 20 weight percent of the cathode paste — were added to boost its conductivity. If the team can reduce the carbon content in the electrode without sacrificing performance, there will be higher active material content in a battery, leading to an increased practical energy density.“In this paper, we just used Super P, a typical conductive carbon consisting of nanospheres, but they’re not very efficient,” Huang says. “We are now exploring using carbon nanotubes, which could reduce the carbon content to just 1 or 2 weight percent, which could allow us to dramatically increase the amount of the active cathode material.”Aside from decreasing carbon content, making thick electrodes, he adds, is yet another way to increase the practical energy density of the battery. This is another area of research that the team is working on.“This is only the beginning of DRXPS research, since we only explored a few chemistries within its vast compositional space,” he continues. “We can play around with different ratios of lithium, manganese, phosphorus, and oxygen, and with various combinations of other polyanion-forming elements such as boron, silicon, and sulfur.”With optimized compositions, more scalable synthesis methods, better morphology that allows for uniform coatings, lower carbon content, and thicker electrodes, he says, the DRXPS cathode family is very promising in applications of electric vehicles and grid storage, and possibly even in consumer electronics, where the volumetric energy density is very important.<hr>This work was supported with funding from the Honda Research Institute USA Inc. and the Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and used resources of the National Synchrotron Light Source II at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. The work was carried out, in part, using MIT.nano’s facilities.&nbsp;

An artistic illustration of the integration between two distinct battery cathode structures, rock salt (blue polyhedra) and polyanion olivine (red/yellow polyhedra). A novel hybrid structure is obtained by integrating polyanions (yellow polyhedra) into a rock salt (blue polyhedra) structure. Photo: Yimeng Huang/Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering

A new family of integrated rock salt-polyanion cathodes opens door to low-cost, high-energy storage.

Study of disordered rock salts leads to battery breakthrough

A tiny battery designed by MIT engineers could enable the deployment of cell-sized, autonomous robots for drug delivery within in the human body, as well as other applications such as locating leaks in gas pipelines.The new battery, which is 0.1 millimeters long and 0.002 millimeters&nbsp;thick — roughly the thickness of a human hair — can capture oxygen from air and use it to oxidize zinc, creating a current of up to 1 volt. That is enough to power a small circuit, sensor, or actuator, the researchers showed.“We think this is going to be very enabling for robotics,” says Michael Strano, the Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT and the senior author of the study. “We’re building robotic functions onto the battery and starting to put these components together into devices.”Ge Zhang PhD ’22 and Sungyun Yang, an MIT graduate student,&nbsp;are the lead author of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.ade4642" target="_blank">paper</a>, which appears in&nbsp;Science Robotics.<h2>Powered by batteries</h2>For several years, Strano’s lab has been working on&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mit.edu/2018/cell-sized-robots-sense-their-environment-0723" target="_blank">tiny robots</a> that can sense and respond to stimuli in their environment. One of the major challenges in developing such tiny robots is making sure that they have enough power.Other researchers have shown that they can power microscale devices using solar power, but the limitation to that approach is that the robots must have a laser or another light source pointed at them at all times. Such devices are known as “marionettes” because they are controlled by an external power source. Putting a power source such as a battery inside these tiny devices could free them to roam much farther.“The marionette systems don’t really need a battery because they’re getting all the energy they need from outside,” Strano says. “But if you want a small robot to be able to get into spaces that you couldn’t access otherwise, it needs to have a greater level of autonomy. A battery is essential for something that’s not going to be tethered to the outside world.”To create robots that could become more autonomous, Strano’s lab decided to use a type of battery known as a zinc-air battery. These batteries, which have a longer lifespan than many other types of batteries due to their high energy density, are often used in hearing aids.The battery that they designed consists of a zinc electrode connected to a platinum electrode, embedded into a strip of a polymer called SU-8, which is commonly used for microelectronics. When these electrodes interact with oxygen molecules from the air, the zinc becomes oxidized and releases electrons that flow to the platinum electrode, creating a current.In this study, the researchers showed that this battery could provide enough energy to power an actuator — in this case, a robotic arm that can be raised and lowered. The battery could also power a memristor, an electrical component that can store memories of events by changing its electrical resistance, and a clock circuit, which allows robotic devices to keep track of time.The battery also provides enough power to run two different types of sensors that change their electrical resistance when they encounter chemicals in the environment. One of the sensors is made from atomically thin molybdenum disulfide and the other from carbon nanotubes.“We’re making the basic building blocks in order to build up functions at the cellular level,” Strano says.<h2>Robotic swarms</h2>In this study, the researchers used a wire to connect their battery to an external device, but in future work they plan to build robots in which the battery is incorporated into a device.“This is going to form the core of a lot of our robotic efforts,” Strano says. “You can build a robot around an energy source, sort of like you can build an electric car around the battery.”One of those efforts revolves around designing tiny robots that could be injected into the human body, where they could seek out a target site and then release a drug such as insulin. For use in the human body, the researchers envision that the devices would be made of biocompatible materials that would break apart once they were no longer needed.The researchers are also working on increasing the voltage of the battery, which may enable additional applications.

The zinc-air battery is 0.1 millimeters long and 0.02 millimeters thick. Credit: Courtesy of the researchers

These zinc-air batteries, smaller than a grain of sand, could help miniscule robots sense and respond to their environment.

Engineers design tiny batteries for powering cell-sized robots

<a href="http://www.duraauto.com/" target="_blank" id="isPasted">DURA Automotive Systems</a> is a global automotive supplier headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, specializing in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of solutions that drive the evolution of mobility. With a legacy comprising more than 100 years of inspired invention, the company is recognized by leading vehicle manufacturers as the preferred supplier partner for innovative, highly integrated, mechatronic driver control systems, lightweight structural body systems, and a portfolio of precision-manufactured automotive products.<h2 id="isPasted">Ultramodern Manufacturing Facility</h2>The world-class Muscle Shoals factory supplies lightweight EV battery enclosures to the Alabama-based Mercedes-Benz electric battery pack plant in Bibb County. <a href="https://www.durashiloh.com/dura-automotive-celebrates-grand-opening-of-muscle-shoals-high-tech-manufacturing-site-for-ev-battery-enclosures/" target="_blank">The new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is DURA’s latest investment in vehicle electrification</a>. Previously, DURA launched an advanced lightweight EV structural systems plant in the Czech Republic and opened its second site to manufacture EV battery enclosures in the Republic of North Macedonia.<h2>Imperial Quality and Reliability</h2>The most recent addition to a growing family of worldwide sites is home to cutting-edge manufacturing processes that utilize advanced robotics and proprietary forming and joining technologies to produce lightweight structures for EV battery systems.These structural enclosures, often integral to the vehicle’s chassis, safeguard the EV battery modules and their supporting electrical and thermal management systems. They are made of lightweight material to minimize energy consumption and extend vehicle range and recharge intervals.Consequently, the structures must be precisely manufactured and accurately inspected to ensure they meet the highest quality and reliability standards and contribute to EVs’ overall efficiency, safety, and performance.<h2>&nbsp;Capacity and Flexibility Issues with the CMM</h2>DURA has been using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to perform its quality controls – and for good reason. CMMs are the most accurate metrology equipment for quality inspection. However, relying on only one stationary CMM, the metrology department struggled with capacity and flexibility issues. The CMM was often extremely busy with all types of inspection, and the EV battery enclosures had to be brought to the metrology lab for measuring.DURA started looking for additional inspection capability to meet their need for flexibility and mobility, crucial for supporting their growing operations. The company wanted to ensure it sought out the most advanced technology for its precise measurement requirements.<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwaPeHpu-NA" target="_blank">Watch DURA’s Testimonial</a><h2>Trust in the MetraSCAN 3D|BLACK Elite and HandyPROBE</h2>In its quest for new, innovative technology to meet its measurement needs, DURA opted for the Creaform optical CMM <a href="https://www.creaform3d.com/en/optical-3d-scanner-metrascan" target="_blank">MetraSCAN 3D|BLACK Elite</a> and portable CMM <a href="https://www.creaform3d.com/en/metrology-solutions/coordinate-measuring-machines-handyprobe" target="_blank">HandyPROBE</a>, paired with Polyworks. “Creaform and Polyworks have a strong reputation in the 3D measurement industry,” says Branden Head, Metrology Supervisor at DURA. “Our sister facility in Europe had previous experience with Creaform, and the positive feedback weighed heavily on our decision.”<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uwaPeHpu-NA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">&nbsp;</iframe><h2 id="isPasted">High Accuracy Captured on the Shop Floor</h2>The fast and accurate 3D scanner and portable CMM have been engineered to perform highly accurate and repeatable metrology-grade measurements and 3D geometrical surface inspections directly on the shop floor. Equipped with their MetraSCAN 3D or HandyPROBE, the metrology department could capture characteristics at 0.025mm (0.0009 in) accuracy without moving the structures to the metrology lab.This move from touch probing to 3D scanning also enabled DURA to acquire a larger quantity of data quickly, compared to only a few discrete points collected slowly with CMM. In addition, the whole battery enclosure can now be measured in a single setup since the entire part fits into the system’s field of view, eliminating leapfrogs and reducing the measurement time.Used as a mobile measurement station whenever needed, the metrology-grade 3D scanner and portable CMM added intermediate checks directly on the production floor, influencing the overall quality and efficiency of the manufacturing process. Now, more EV battery enclosures can be inspected in less time. In parallel, Creaform’s measuring solutions helped reduce the workload of the traditional CMM, assigning it to critical inspections with tight tolerances.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1723101508625-dura_image_2-1536x759.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Helpful Training and Fantastic Support</h2>DURA initially received a one-week training course to learn how to operate the 3D scanners and software to their full potential. An additional follow-up training was also offered to improve their measurement results. The engineers described the training as very beneficial and easy to understand.Creaform’s application engineers and technical support were available whenever DURA reached out for questions. Their answers were informative and helpful. “We rely on internal and external resources to ensure that our team fully utilizes the equipment to best serve our facility,” says Mr. Head. “Creaform’s ongoing support has been integral to our growing team.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1723101523165-dura_image_3-1536x695.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 id="isPasted">Pivotal Increase of Measurement Capability</h2><blockquote>We use the Creaform MetraSCAN 3D and HandyPROBE as portable measurement stations to measure incoming extrusions and get quick scans of the product before it moves forward to a mill to ensure the mill will accept the part. Thanks to Creaform, we have increased our capacity by 75%.-Branden Head, Metrology Supervisor at DURA Automotive</blockquote>The distinct performance obtained with Creaform and Polyworks in DURA’s production environment has confirmed their strong reputation in the 3D measurement industry. “Creaform and its 3D measurement solutions were pivotal for the measurement capability in our facility,” adds Mr. Head. “Our project would have struggled with capacity and mobility without Creaform’s and Polyworks’s technology.”The partnership between DURA and Creaform will certainly continue as the global automotive supplier is now exploring the possibility of integrating Creaform technology into its automated manufacturing process. For sure, the metrology team can always count on Creaform’s dedicated training and support to achieve this next goal.

In its quest for new, innovative technology to meet its measurement needs, DURA opted for the Creaform optical CMM MetraSCAN 3D|BLACK Elite and portable CMM HandyPROBE, paired with Polyworks.

Cutting-Edge Technology and World-Class Manufacturing Factory to Produce Electric Vehicle (EV) Battery Enclosures

<h2 id="isPasted">The hidden waste</h2>At least 15 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_cell" target="_blank">primary batteries</a> are being disposed of yearly worldwide. The world is getting better at recycling, which is excellent news. However, the bad news is that we are still throwing batteries that are not fully utilized. Unused battery capacity is hidden waste that goes unnoticed for consumer electronics, but it is getting noticeably annoying for the businesses within the Internet of Things (IoT) and medical space. IoT and medical device suppliers need to deliver on promised battery life but don’t know how well their devices are using the batteries.<h2>The good or bad fit</h2>Batteries have specific performance characteristics. The electronic device needs to have a matching power consumption profile for the capacity to be fully used. The power consumption profile depends on the choice of hardware, layers of software and connectivity and the actual device usage. Suppose the power profile doesn’t match the battery characteristics. There will be energy that is never extracted, which is valid for primary batteries and rechargeable batteries for any application and industry. There could be a good or a bad fit for your small loT sensor, a smartwatch or the electrical vehicle (EV) that you are developing.Furthermore, the batteries can be of bad quality. For everyone working in development projects where second sourcing of components is essential for the reliability or cost-down activity (and batteries are one of the most expensive components), validating the battery performance is the key. You may have figured out your device’s power consumption performance but are still underutilizing the energy source due to a particular bad battery batch or an overall bad design and quality. The difference between brands is noticeable.<h2>Unused battery capacity</h2>One thing is for sure, there is no such thing as utilizing the battery to 100%, but you can get close. On the other hand, a bad match can be pretty bad. Our testing shows between 30-50%, on average, of capacity never being used.Let’s look at an example of an IoT device with a coin cell battery.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1721608956514-connect-device-undertest-to-otii-1024x768.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Table 1. Capacity of batteries from two brands shown for an ideal, data sheet case and actual measured power consumption profile. Used capacity differs between the two batteries despite the same type.The battery data sheets usually show a typical capacity that you could expect if you match your device well with the battery and use it in a normal temperature type of use case. However, suppose the matching is not good or the battery is bad quality. You may be limited to utilizing only 16% of the available energy, as for Battery 1 in table 1 above.&nbsp;If you are interested, you can read the technical benchmark study where this example is from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.qoitech.com/blog/will-my-lorawan-iot-device-work-with-a-coin-cell-battery/" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;<h2>Battery life impacts your business</h2>Unused battery capacity can make or break a business. As a device supplier, you can not guarantee battery life if you don’t understand how well your product and the energy source are matched. The hidden energy waste can mean countless and expensive maintenance and replacements of the batteries and costly IT downtime, either for you or your customer.Let’s play with an example of having 10 000 IoT devices deployed for tracking purposes. In general, we hear five years of battery life presented. Though not guaranteed, this is most likely only calculated by simply dividing battery capacity with an average current across use cases. Also, the battery characteristic is taken from the datasheet for a ‘typical’ use case. In this case, there will be a normal distribution of batteries running out, which means at least twice during the five years, there will be changes in batteries. At the worst, you may be looking at 10 000 x 2 x $300 (approx. cost per battery change) = $6M in maintenance cost per the life cycle. Who is paying for this, you or your customer?If the IoT solution that you are providing is for mission critical purposes, then you have to consider the IT downtime. According the Gartner the downtime can be very expensive, up to $5 600 per minutes are mentioned&nbsp;<a href="https://www.the20.com/blog/the-cost-of-it-downtime/" target="_blank">here</a>. Doing an software over the upgrade for the deployed IoT device and not checking that the upgrade doesn’t have negative impact on the battery life and thus your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-nests-battery-drain-chilly-users-turn-up-heat-over-thermostat-software-glitch/" target="_blank">business</a> is really risky.<h2>What can be done?</h2>Start measuring! Gain insights into how your device behaves for different use cases and start characterizing and validating your batteries. It is simple as that. To understand your device, you can use&nbsp;<a href="https://www.qoitech.com/otii-arc-pro/" target="_blank">Otii Arc</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.qoitech.com/automation-toolbox/" target="_blank">Otii Automation Toolbox</a> for software quality assurance. For battery validation and analytics,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.qoitech.com/battery-toolbox/" target="_blank">Otii Battery Toolbox</a> can help. You can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.qoitech.com/demo/" target="_blank">book a demo</a> to see what solution fits your organization the best for characterization, benchmark, and validation of batteries.&nbsp;

At least 15 billion primary batteries are being disposed of yearly worldwide. The world is getting better at recycling, which is excellent news. However, the bad news is that we are still throwing batteries that are not fully utilized.

How much of the IoT battery capacity is actually used?

A battery component innovation could help keep power delivery high when electric aircraft land with low charge, according to a study led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with expertise from the University of Michigan.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1721205836855-electric-aviation-featured.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The research provides a solution <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsenergylett.8b02195" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">to a problem identified in 2018</a> in a study led by <a href="https://aero.engin.umich.edu/people/viswanathan-venkat/" target="_blank">Venkat Viswanathan</a>, a professor of aerospace engineering at U-M and a coauthor of the new work published in Joule.&nbsp;“Both takeoff and landing require high power, and landing is more challenging because you’re not fully charged,” Viswanathan said. “To get high power you have to bring all the resistances down. Anything that affects the ability to deliver that power.”The team emphasized that this is distinct from the needs of EV batteries, which mainly need to maintain their ranges.“In an electric vehicle, you focus on capacity fade over time,” said <a href="https://profiles.lbl.gov/232755-youngmin-ko" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Youngmin Ko</a>, a postdoctoral researcher at Berkeley Lab’s <a href="https://foundry.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Foundry</a> and lead author of the Joule study. “But for aircraft, it’s the power fade that’s critical—the ability to consistently achieve high power for takeoff and landing.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1721205881180-prop-stand-test.jjpg_.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Tested at the single cell level, the new electrolyte developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory maintains the power-to-energy ratio needed to support electric flight for four times longer than conventional batteries. The next step is for 24M to build the cells into a battery and send them for testing them on And Battery Aero’s propeller stand, running the battery through realistic flight missions. And Battery Aero was co-founded by U-M aerospace engineering associate professor Venkat Viswanathan. Image courtesy of And Battery Aero.Both capacity fade and power fade typically occur when lithium ions can no longer move easily in and out of the electrodes. While the key for capacity fade is the quantity of lithium ions that can move between the electrodes, the main factor for power fade is speed. The problem is that corrosion builds up on the electrodes, taking up space that could have housed lithium ions and making it harder for the lithium to reach available spaces.Under the leadership of <a href="https://foundry.lbl.gov/about/staff/brett-a-helms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brett Helms</a>, corresponding author of the study and a senior staff scientist at Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry, the team explored the interactions among the electrodes and electrolyte using an approach borrowed from biology. In studies of life, the field generally called “omics” looks for clues in the constituents of cells—what genes are being read, what proteins are being made, and so on.&nbsp;In this case, the team tried different electrolyte chemistries, looking at subtle changes that occurred within the electrolyte at different locations in the battery during charging and discharging. Prior research has typically attributed power fade to problems arising at the battery’s negative side, as lithium metal is very reactive.&nbsp;However, the team observed that damaging molecules were forming near the positive side—nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide in this case. Reacting with those molecules caused the particles of the positive electrode to crack and corrode over time, hindering the movement of lithium and reducing power delivery.&nbsp;“It was a non-obvious outcome,” Ko said. “We found that mixing salts in the electrolyte could suppress the reactivity of typically reactive species, which formed a stabilizing, corrosion-resistant coating.”The company <a href="https://24-m.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">24M</a> (Cambridge, MA), then built a test cell with this chemistry and sent it to <a href="https://www.and.aero/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">And Battery Aero</a> (Palo Alto, CA)—a startup that Viswanathan co-founded with his former PhD student Shashank Sripad, a co-author of this study and the one from 2018.&nbsp;Sripad tested the cell by repeatedly drawing power from it in a realistic sequence of takeoff, flight and landing, as if the cell were part of a complete battery module powering an electric aircraft. When compared to conventional batteries, the new cell maintained the power-to-energy ratio needed for electric flight for four times longer.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1721205913022-example-electric-aviation-battery.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The next step is for 24M to build the cells into a full-size aviation battery, like the one pictured, for further testing at And Battery Aero. Image courtesy of And Battery Aero.“Heavy transport sectors, including aviation, have been underexplored in terms of electrification,” Helms said. “Our work redefines what’s possible, pushing the boundaries of battery technology to enable deeper decarbonization.”Next, 24M will build a complete battery that And Battery Aero will test on a propeller stand, running the propeller through the flight sequence repeatedly. Then, next year, the team intends to attempt to perform an electric flight test with those batteries.The team—which includes scientists at the University of California, Berkeley—also plans to expand the use of omics in battery research, exploring the interactions of various electrolyte components to further understand and tailor the performance of batteries for current and emerging use-cases in transportation and the grid.&nbsp;The Molecular Foundry is a DOE Office of Science user facility at Berkeley Lab.This work was supported by DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and DOE’s Office of Science (Basic Energy Sciences).&nbsp;Viswanathan and Sripad have a financial interest in And Battery Aero.

Borrowing methods from biology, a team of scientists and engineers designed and tested an electrolyte that keeps battery power delivery high, cycle after cycle.

Electric aviation: Batteries that stay strong for the flight duration

In many sectors, sensor networks are composed of thousands of individual sensors, many powered by primary batteries. Certain issues related to limited power autonomy need to be taken into consideration before successfully deploying such networks. Severe conditions can affect battery life, depleting the battery faster and rendering the sensor inoperable, which will in turn affect the quality of measurements and automation.&nbsp;Additionally, every battery which needs to be replaced by personnel involves labour-induced operational costs and generates e-waste, causing ever more environmental harm. According to a recent report by the EU-funded project EnABLES, by 2025 around 78 million batteries(1)&nbsp;powering IoT devices will be dumped globally every day if nothing is done to improve their lifespan.&nbsp;The power bottleneck imposed by batteries needs to be solved in order to benefit from the huge amount of data measured, remote sensor management and smart decision making. Energy harvesting and battery management technology provide a credible solution to improving battery autonomy and are ideally suited for sensing applications. With the development of an innovative Power IC portfolio, Nexperia offers tangible solutions to improve sensors by reaffirming its commitment to empowering engineers in enhancing system efficiency and combating battery waste.<h2>Scenario 1: Energy harvesting enables Plug &amp; Forget sensors</h2>In the dynamic world of intelligent building technology, the integration of cutting-edge sensors plays a pivotal role in enhancing efficiency and sustainability. Designers are increasingly incorporating an array of remote wireless environmental sensors. Enabling uninterrupted sensor operation, energy harvesting technology can successfully drive this innovation. With plug-and-forget IoT sensors, retrofitting or newly equipping buildings becomes easy, ensures long-term sustainability, and reduces maintenance efforts. The energy-harvesting PMICs serve as the backbone of these systems, converting voltage from photovoltaic (PV) cells into rechargeable storage elements, such as lithium-ion batteries.These intelligent sensors boost multifunctionality, encompassing a diverse range of capabilities essential for comprehensive environmental monitoring and control. From temperature and humidity to air quality and motion detection, these sensors offer unparalleled insights into building conditions. The incorporation of PIR motion sensors further enhances security measures, detecting and responding to intrusions with remarkable precision. Also, the integration of CO2 sensors underscores the commitment to occupant health and well-being, facilitating optimal ventilation and air quality management.&nbsp;The synergy between advanced sensors and energy harvesting technology represents a paradigm shift in smart building design. By harnessing the power of innovation, these systems empower building owners and operators to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency, sustainability, and occupant comfort.<h3>Example of a smart building sensor with unlimited battery life</h3><img width="297" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzIxMjA0NTc2MzQxLTE3MjEyMDQ1NzYzNDEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" align="left" alt="A white rectangular device with a light on itDescription automatically generated" class="fr-fil fr-dii">Energy autonomous sensor with PV panel on the top sideNow, in what circumstances can an energy-autonomous smart building sensor be realized? Consider a sensor that is placed in an indoor area, where the light intensity is around 600 lux for 10 hours, a typical situation for office spaces. This sensor will of course consume a certain amount of energy. For this sensor, we could consider the total amount of energy used for measuring and transmitting to be 1 mWh, which is in the ballpark of what we regularly see for these types of applications.&nbsp;With a solar panel area of only 10 cm2 and thanks to Nexperia NEH2000BY’s impressive 80% conversion efficiency, close to 1.1 mWh is converted and used to charge the battery. With this setup, more energy is harvested and converted than is consumed, thereby making the application fully energy autonomous and eliminating the need to replace batteries. &nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1721216612401-energy+harvesting.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Figure 1: Application block diagram of an energy autonomous building sensor.<h2>Scenario 2: Battery Management IC boosts coin-cell battery life</h2>A large number of wireless building sensors operate at 3V and use such little power that they can run on coin cells. This primary non-rechargeable battery type is cost efficient and easy to buy. Many sensor applications however use pulsed loads which deplete the battery quickly.&nbsp;Nexperia’s <a href="http://www.nexperia.com/category/1670340681253" target="_blank">NBM7100A/B and NBM5100A/B</a> are revolutionary new battery management ICs that can extend the life of a typical Lithium coin cell battery by up to an order of magnitude (10x) while increasing the peak output current available to a pulse load by up to 25x. These ICs contain two high-efficiency DC/DC conversion stages and an intelligent learning algorithm.&nbsp;The first conversion stage transfers energy from the battery to a capacitive storage element at a low rate. The second stage utilizes the stored energy to provide a regulated (programmable from 1.8 V to 3.6 V) high pulse (up to 200 mA) current output. The intelligent learning algorithm monitors the energy used during repetitive load pulse cycles and optimizes first-stage DC-DC conversion to minimize the residual charge in the storage capacitor. When not performing an energy conversion cycle (standby state), these devices consume less than 50 nA.<img width="338" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzIxMjA0NTc2MzY0LTE3MjEyMDQ1NzYzNjQuanBlZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" align="left" alt="A diagram of a computer componentDescription automatically generated" class="fr-fil fr-dii">Figure 2: Application block diagram of a coin-cell powered Time of Flight IoT sensor&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Time-of-Flight sensor with optimized battery performance</h3>Figure 2 depicts an exploration into the application of a time-of-flight sensor, an interesting technology for IoT (Internet of Things) contexts due to its multifaceted utility.&nbsp; Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors are very versatile; They boost the ability to measure distances to objects, facilitating tasks ranging from open/close detection to presence sensing and fill state determination. However, this versatility comes with a caveat – the substantial power demand necessary to drive the laser diode which is part of the ToF sensor.In this particular case study, a time-of-flight (ToF) module was employed, characterized by a 33ms operational time, a current consumption of 40mA, and a minimum operating voltage requirement of 2.8V.&nbsp;<h3>Battery Life Boosters enhance operational efficiency</h3>Herein lies the challenge: a CR2032 battery, with its source resistance exceeding 10 Ohms, cannot &nbsp;reliably sustain the required 2.8V supply voltage for the TOF module. Even under optimal conditions, the loaded state voltage of the battery dips to 2.6V when fully charged. Consequently, accommodating such power demands necessitates the adoption of larger batteries, such as two AAA cells, inevitably impacting the overall product size.Enter the NBM7100, a game-changer capable of generating a stable 3.0V output voltage, that significantly enhances operational efficiency. With this solution in place, approximately 500,000 measurement cycles become achievable, equivalent to a lifespan of roughly one year when utilizing the sensor once per minute.Moreover, the NBM7100A's VDP output seamlessly supplies continuous voltage to an RF Microcontroller, while the VDH output caters to the ToF sensor's power needs.&nbsp; &nbsp;This innovative approach confers the added advantage of reducing standby current consumption. By selectively powering off the VDH supply during idle phases, leakage current is drastically minimized, plummeting from approximately 10uA to a maximum of 50nA.This exemplary case underscores the pivotal role of battery lifetime boosters in facilitating the creation of more compact product designs, ultimately enhancing usability and user experience.In summary, with energy harvesting enabling Plug &amp; Forget sensors and battery management ICs boosting the coin-cell battery performance, they are both valuable options to power sensors in smart building and many other segments with efficiency and sustainability.<hr>(1)&nbsp; <a href="https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/430457-up-to-78-million-batteries-will-be-discarded-daily-by-2025-researchers-warn" target="_blank">https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/430457-up-to-78-million-batteries-will-be-discarded-daily-by-2025-researchers-warn</a>

In many sectors, sensor networks are composed of thousands of individual sensors, many powered by primary batteries. Certain issues related to limited power autonomy need to be taken into consideration before successfully deploying such networks. 

Optimizing battery performance in wireless sensor applications

Lithium metal batteries are among the most promising candidates of the next generation of high-energy batteries. They can store at least twice as much energy per unit of volume as the lithium-ion batteries that are in widespread use today. This will mean, for example, that an electric car can travel twice as far on a single charge, or that a smartphone will not have to be recharged so often.At present, there is still one crucial drawback with lithium metal batteries: the liquid electrolyte requires the addition of significant amounts of fluorinated solvents and fluorinated salts, which increases its environmental footprint. Without the addition of fluorine, however, lithium metal batteries would be unstable, they would stop working after very few charging cycles and be prone to short circuits as well as overheating and igniting. A research group led by Maria Lukatskaya, Professor of Electrochemical Energy Systems at ETH Zurich, has now developed a new method that dramatically reduces the amount of fluorine required in lithium metal batteries, thereby rendering them more environmentally friendly and more stable as well as cost-effective.<h2 id="isPasted">A stable protective layer increases battery safety and efficiency</h2>The fluorinated compounds from electrolyte help the formation of a protective layer around the metallic lithium at the negative electrode of the battery. “This protective layer can be compared to the enamel of a tooth,” Lukatskaya explains. “It protects the metallic lithium from continuous reaction with electrolyte components.” Without it, the electrolyte would quickly get depleted during cycling, the cell would fail, and the lack of a stable layer would result in the formation of lithium metal whiskers – ‘dendrites’ – during the recharging process instead of a conformal flat layer.Should these dendrites touch the positive electrode, this would cause a short circuit with the risk that the battery heats up so much that it ignites. The ability to control the properties of this protective layer is therefore crucial for battery performance. A stable protective layer increases battery efficiency, safety and service life.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1721001380090-image.imageformat.1286.1270176615.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">If the electrolyte in a lithium metal battery is not properly tuned, this leads to the formation of dendrites (“whiskers”). (Graphic: Nobelprize.org)<h2 id="isPasted">Minimising fluorine content</h2>“The question was how to reduce the amount of added fluorine without compromising the protective layer’s stability,” says doctoral student Nathan Hong. The group’s new method uses electrostatic attraction to achieve the desired reaction. Here, electrically charged fluorinated molecules serve as a vehicle to transport the fluorine to the protective layer. This means that only 0.1 percent by weight of fluorine is required in the liquid electrolyte, which is at least 20 times lower than in prior studies.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1721001399324-image.imageformat.1286.1956524728.png" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The newly developed method uses fluorinated cations as a vehicle to transport fluorine to the protective layer. As a result, the protective layer remains stable, fluorine use is minimised, production costs are reduced, and the battery is rendered more sustainable. (Graphic: ETH Zurich / Chulgi Nathan Hong)<h2 id="isPasted">Optimised method makes batteries greener</h2>The ETH Zurich research group describes the new method and its underlying principles in a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/d4ee00296b" target="_blank">paper</a> recently published in the journal Energy &amp; Environmental Science. An application for a patent has been made. Lukatskaya carried out this research with the help of an SNSF Starting Grant.One of the biggest challenges was to find the right molecule to which fluorine could be attached and that would also decompose again under the right conditions once it had reached the lithium metal. As the group explains, a key advantage of this method is that it can be seamlessly integrated into the existing battery production process without generating additional costs to change the production setup. The batteries used in the lab were the size of a coin. In a next step, the researchers plan to test the method’s scalability and apply it to pouch cells as used in smartphones.<hr><h2 id="isPasted">Reference</h2>Hong CN, Yan M, Borodin O, Pollard TP, Wu L, Reiter M, Gomez Vazquez D, Trapp K, Yoo JM, Shpigel N, Feldblyum JI, Lukatskaya MR: Robust battery interphases from dilute fluorinated cations. Energy &amp; Environmental Science, 2. May 2024, doi:&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/d4ee00296b" target="_blank">external page10.1039/d4ee00296b</a>

(Photograph: ETH Zurich / Maria Lukatskaya; AI-generated)

A new electrolyte design for lithium metal batteries could significantly boost the range of electric vehicles. Researchers at ETH Zurich have radically reduced the amount of environmentally harmful fluorine required to stabilise these batteries.

Innovative battery design: more energy and less environmental impact

Rechargeable solid-state lithium batteries are an emerging technology that could someday power cell phones and laptops for days with a single charge. Offering significantly enhanced energy density, they are a safer alternative to the flammable lithium-ion batteries currently used in consumer electronics — but they are not environmentally friendly. Current recycling methods focus on the limited recovery of metals contained within the cathodes, while everything else goes to waste. &nbsp;A team of Penn State researchers may have solved this issue. Led by <a href="https://www.che.psu.edu/department/directory-detail-g.aspx?q=edg12" target="_blank">Enrique Gomez</a>, interim associate dean for equity and inclusion and professor of chemical engineering in the Penn State College of Engineering, the team reconfigured the design of these solid-state lithium batteries so that all their components can be easily recycled. They published their findings in <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsenergylett.4c01153" target="_blank">ACS Energy Letters</a>. &nbsp;“As the need for rechargeable batteries grows, we need to think about the end-of-life of this technology,” Gomez said. “We hope our work highlights the possibilities in recycling of solid-state batteries, with the help of some key design elements.”&nbsp;Traditionally, most of the core battery components have gone to waste because they mix during the recycling process, forming a “black mass,” according to the researchers. This black mass is rich in materials needed for batteries but separating them out remains a challenge. In solid-state batteries, the use of solid electrolytes compounds this problem, as they become intermixed with the black mass. &nbsp;To more easily separate these components from the other metal components in a coin cell battery, researchers inserted two polymer layers at the interfaces between the electrode and the electrolyte prior to the start of the recycling process. &nbsp;“We proposed that by dissolving the polymer layer during the recycling process, you can easily separate the electrode from the electrolyte,” said Yi-Chen Lan, doctoral student in chemical engineering and first author on the paper. “Without the polymer layer separating them, you would have the electrode and electrolyte mixed together, which makes them hard to recycle.”&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1720743945019-240279-psn-gomez.jpg" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Researchers&nbsp;reconfigured the design of solid-state lithium batteries so that of all their components can be easily recycled.&nbsp;They tested their innovation using coin cell batteries, pictured here.&nbsp;Credit: Poornima Tomy/Penn State . All Rights Reserved.Once the researchers successfully separated out the components, they made a composite with the recovered metals and electrodes using cold sintering — the process of combining powder-based materials into dense forms at low temperatures through applied pressure using solvents. Cold sintering <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adfm.201602489" target="_blank">was developed in 2016</a> by a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.mri.psu.edu/mri/personnel-directory/car4" target="_blank">Clive Randall</a>, director of Penn State’s <a href="https://www.mri.psu.edu/" target="_blank">Materials Research Institute</a> and distinguished professor of materials science and engineering. Gomez and his team&nbsp;<a href="https://news.engr.psu.edu/2024/cold-sintering-landfill-recycling.aspx" target="_blank">recently demonstrated the recycling of solid-state electrolytes using cold sintering.</a> &nbsp;“We used cold sintering to combine the recovered electrodes with recovered composite solid electrolyte powders, then reconstructed the battery with the polymer layers added,” said Po-Hao Lai, a doctoral student in chemical engineering and co-author on the paper. “This enables us to recycle the whole battery, which we are then able to recycle again after its use.” &nbsp;After testing its performance, they found that the reconstructed battery achieved between 92.5% and 93.8% of its original discharge capacity. &nbsp;“While the commercialization of all-solid-state lithium batteries is still in its early stages, our work provides important insights and ideas for designing recyclable versions of these batteries,” Lan said. “While we're not quite there yet, the long-term goal is to apply this innovation to larger batteries that could be used in devices like cell phones and laptops, once all-solid-state technology becomes more prevalent.”&nbsp;In addition to Gomez, Lan and Lai,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.che.psu.edu/department/directory-detail-g.aspx?q=bdv5051&_gl=1*a2fq89*_gcl_au*MTQ4NzQyODg2Ni4xNzEzODE4NjEz*_ga*MTEwMzAxNjc5Ni4xNzA2MDM3NTk3*_ga_P4WQEC6B2H*MTcxOTMzOTgyMS4yNDQuMC4xNzE5MzQxMzk1LjYwLjAuMA.." target="_blank">Bryan Vogt</a>, professor of chemical engineering, also contributed to the paper. &nbsp;

Photo by mohamed abdelghaffar from Pexels

Rechargeable solid-state lithium batteries are an emerging technology that could someday power cell phones and laptops for days with a single charge.

Making rechargeable batteries more sustainable with fully recyclable components

In 10 years, solid-state batteries made from rock silicates will be an environmentally friendly, more efficient and safer alternative to the lithium-ion batteries we use today. Researcher at DTU have patented a new superionic material based on potassium silicate - a mineral that can be extracted from ordinary rocks.It is the battery in your electric car that determines how far you can drive on one charge and how quickly you can re-charge. However, the lithium-ion battery, the most widely used electric car battery today, has its limitations— in terms of capacity, safety and also availability. Because lithium is an expensive, environmentally harmful material and the scarcity of the relatively rare metal can hinder the green transition of car transport.As more and more people switch to electric cars, we need to develop a new generation of lithium-free batteries, which are at least as efficient, but more eco-friendly and cheaper to produce. This requires new materials for the battery’s main components; anode, cathode, and electrolyte, as well as developing new battery designs.It is a research field that is currently occupying researchers all over the world, because when we find new ‘recipes’ for batteries, it will enable a significant reduction of the transport sector’s carbon emissions.At DTU, researcher Mohamad Khoshkalam has invented a material that has the potential to replace lithium in tomorrow’s super battery: solid-state batteries based on potassium and sodium silicates. These are rock silicates, which are some of the most common minerals in the Earth’s crust. It is found in the stones you pick up on the beach or in your garden. A great advantage of the new material is that it is not sensitive to air and humidity. &nbsp;This makes it possible to mould it into a paper-thin layer inside the battery.<h2>Patented superionic material</h2>The potential of the milky-white, paper-thin material based on potassium silicate is huge. It is an inexpensive, eco-friendly material that can be extracted from silicates, which cover over 90 per cent of the Earth’s surface. The material can conduct ions at around 40 degrees and is not sensitive to moisture.This will make scaling up and future battery production easier, safer and cheaper, as production can take place in an open atmosphere and at temperatures close to room temperature. The material also works without the addition of expensive and environmentally harmful metals such as cobalt, which is currently used in lithium-ion batteries to boost capacity and service life.“The potential of potassium silicate as a solid-state electrolyte has been known for a long time, but in my opinion has been ignored due to challenges with the weight and size of the potassium ions. The ions are large and therefore move slower,” says Mohamad Khoshkalam.To understand the perspectives of Mohamad Khoshkalam’s discovery, one must first understand the crucial role the electrolyte plays in a battery. The electrolyte in a battery can be a liquid or a solid material—a so-called solid-state electrolyte. &nbsp;The electrolyte allows the ions to move between the battery’s anode and cathode, thereby maintaining the electrical current generated during discharging and charging. In other words, the electrolyte is crucial for the battery capacity, charging time, lifespan, and safety.The electrolyte’s conductivity depends on how fast the ions can move in the electrolyte. The ions in rock silicates generally move slower than the ions in lithium-based liquid electrolytes or solid-state electrolytes, as they are larger and heavier. But Mohamad Khoshkalam has found a recipe for a superionic material of potassium silicate and a process that makes the ions move faster than in lithium-based electrolytes.“The first measurement with a battery component revealed that the material has a very good conductivity as a solid-state electrolyte. I cannot reveal how I developed the material, as the recipe and the method are now patented,” Mohamad Khoshkalam continues.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzIwNTcxMDU2Mzc5LV85NkE5NjM0LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A battery cell for a solid-state battery can be made completely thin. In the lab, there are six steps in the production of the solid-state electrolyte, which is a paper-thin material that lies between the anode and cathode of the battery cell. Photo: Frida Gregersen<h2 id="isPasted">The battery everyone is waiting for</h2>Both researchers and electric car manufacturers consider solid-state batteries to be the super battery of the future. Most recently, Toyota has announced that they expect to launch an electric car with a lithium solid-state battery in 2027-28. However, several car manufacturers have previously announced electric cars with solid-state batteries, only to subsequently pull out.In a solid-state battery, the ions travel through a solid material and not through a liquid, as in the regular AA+ lithium-ion batteries you can buy in the supermarket. There are several advantages to this; the ions can move faster through a solid material, making the battery more efficient and faster to charge.A single battery cell can be made as thin as a piece of cardboard, where the anode, cathode, and solid-state electrolyte are ultra-thin layers of material. This means that we can make more powerful batteries that take up less space. This offers benefits on the road, as you will be able to drive up to 1,000 km on a single 10-minute charge. In addition, a solid-state battery is more fireproof, as it does not contain combustible liquid.Before we see the solid-state battery on the market, however, there are several challenges that need to be solved. The technology works well in the laboratory, but is difficult and expensive to scale up. Firstly, materials and battery research is both complex and time-consuming because the materials are super sensitive and require advanced laboratories and equipment. The lithium-ion batteries we use today took over 20 years to develop, and we’re still developing them.Secondly, we need to develop new ways of producing and sealing the batteries so the ultra-thin material layers in the battery cell do not break and have continuous contact in order to work. In the laboratory, you solve it by pressing the layers of the battery cell together at high pressure, but it is difficult to transfer to a commercial electric car battery, which consists of many battery cells.&nbsp;<h2>Solid-state rock battery is high-risk technology</h2>Unlike lithium solid-state batteries, solid-state batteries based on potassium and sodium silicates have a low TRL (Technology Readiness Level). This means there is still a long way to go from discovery in the lab to getting the technology out into society and making a difference. The earliest we can expect to see them in new electric cars on the market is 10 years from now.It is also a high-risk technology, where the chance of commercial success is small and the technical challenges are many. Nevertheless, Mohamad Khoshkalam is full of optimism:“We have shown that we can find a material for a solid-state electrolyte that is cheap, efficient, eco-friendly, and scalable—and that even performs better than solid-state lithium-based electrolytes.”A year after the discovery in the laboratory at DTU, Mohamad Khoshkalam has obtained a patent for the recipe and is in the process of establishing the start-up K-Ion, which will develop solid-state electrolyte components for battery companies. The K-ion is part of the DTU Earthbound initiative, where they receive support to get their research out of the laboratory faster and into society to make an impact.The next step for Mohamad Khoshkalam and his team is to develop a demo battery that can show companies and potential investors that the material works. A prototype is expected to be ready within 1-2 years.<hr><h3 id="isPasted">The batteries of the future</h3><h4>Now: Lithium-ion batteries in improved versions</h4>It is hard to beat lithium’s ability to conduct ions, but the material is expensive and difficult to obtain. We will see new, improved lithium-ion batteries with a lower concentration of cobalt and lithium.<h4>Within 5 years: Sodium-ion and potassium-ion batteries, as well as lithium solid-state batteries</h4>Sodium and potassium-ion batteries have a high TRL (Technology Readiness Level). Several automakers expect to mass-produce it within 5 years. The development of lithium solid-state batteries is further ahead. We will therefore see them on the market before potassium and sodium solid-state batteries.&nbsp;<h4>Earliest from 10 years: Solid-state batteries of rock silicates&nbsp;</h4>Potassium and sodium solid-state batteries have a low TRL. This means that many steps must be taken before the battery can be commercialized. The technology works in the laboratory, but several technical challenges must be solved before the technology can be scaled up into a functional electric car battery that can be mass-produced. &nbsp;

In 10 years, solid-state batteries made from rock silicates will be an environmentally friendly, more efficient and safer alternative to the lithium-ion batteries we use today.

Tomorrow's super battery for electric cars is made of rock

Visualizing the energy consumption profile of your embedded IoT device marks the initial step toward achieving low-power design and extended battery life. The subsequent step is analysis, where you can make a significant impact on your energy optimization efforts.See what drains the energy of your IoT devicesOne of the most efficient ways of understanding what actually drain the energy is to connect the power measurements with the actual behaviour of the device. Regardless if your are iterating hardware, firmware or connectivity and application settings, you most likely have prepared your device to output a lot of data and debug reports. If your have done this on UART you are in for treat. <a href="https://www.qoitech.com/otii-arc-pro/" target="_blank">Otii Arc Pro</a> and <a href="https://www.qoitech.com/otii-ace/" target="_blank">Otii Ace Pro</a> from Qoitech come with a clever feature: UART log output sync with power measurements.Otii Arc and Ace Pro’s ability to synchronize expansion port and power measurements while capturing and analyzing UART data offers a powerful solution for debugging and optimizing power consumption during the development and testing phases.UART log output sync with Otii ProAn exceptional feature of Otii Arc/Ace Pro is its ability to correlate UART messages with the power consumption graph. When you mark a specific area on the current graph, all the UART messages that occurred within that time-frame are highlighted in the UART log. Additionally, you can also reverse this process by marking one or multiple messages in the UART log, which will then highlight the corresponding time-frame on the current graph. This feature provides you with invaluable insights into how your device’s code execution affects its power consumption.If you need to save or share the UART records for further analysis or documentation, Otii Arc Pro makes it easy. Simply select one or multiple messages, and you can copy them using the standard keyboard shortcut.UART impact on power consumptionTo maximize the efficiency of this setup, remember to disable UART messages in your device’s firmware when it’s ready for production. This prevents unnecessary energy consumption and ensures that your device operates at its most power-efficient state. <a href="https://www.qoitech.com/blog/uart-energy-drain-iot/" target="_blank">Here</a> you can read more tips and tricks working with UART and insight on what really happens when you do forget to turn it off.How to use UART log syncBefore you can start synchronizing expansion port and power measurements, you need to connect your embedded device to Otii Arc/Ace Pro. Follow these steps to ensure a seamless setup:Step 1: Connect your device to the mains of Otii hardware.This step provides the necessary power supply to your embedded device, ensuring that it operates as intended during testing.Step 2: Connect the UART output from your MCU on the device under test to the Otii hardware expansion port RX. If your device can send commands through UART, also connect TX. For Otii Ace Pro, remember to connect DGND to the main ground, as the main channel and expansion port are isolated.This connection allows Otii Arc/Ace Pro to capture UART data from your device, including debug information and timestamps.<img alt="En bild som visar diagram, skiss, text, rita Automatiskt genererad beskrivning" src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1718673562453-1718673562453.png" width="605" height="454" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Connecting device under test to Otii hardwareStep 3: Configure the Digital voltage level for your device in the General Settings within the Otii application. Enable the UART channel and choose the correct Baud rate for your device.Configuring these settings correctly ensures that Otii Arc/Ace Pro can accurately capture and interpret UART data from your device.Step 4: Analyze the UART prints.Once you’ve completed the setup, you can start analyzing the UART data. The UART prints will be displayed in real-time within the UART log window. You can choose to view the data with relative time, wall time or no time.<img alt="En bild som visar skärmbild, Multimedieprogram, Grafikprogramvara, programvara Automatiskt genererad beskrivning" src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1718673562706-1718673562706.png" width="605" height="431" class="fr-fic fr-dii">UART log are synced with power measurements collected with Otii hardware.Step 5: Copy the UART records.If you need to save or share the UART records for further analysis or documentation, simply select one or multiple messages, and you can copy them using the standard keyboard shortcut (Ctrl-C/Cmd-C) or by right-clicking and selecting “Copy log.”In conclusion, <a href="https://www.qoitech.com/otii-arc-pro/" target="_blank">Otii Arc</a>/<a href="https://www.qoitech.com/otii-ace/" target="_blank">Ace Pro</a> offers sync between the expansion port and power measurements while capturing and analyzing UART data, providing an efficient solution for debugging power consumption during the development and testing phases. Understanding what drains the energy gives insights in how your IoT device operates enabling informed decisions to create low-power electronic devices.See <a href="https://www.qoitech.com/docs/quick-start/setup-uart-recording" target="_blank">documentation</a>.

Visualizing the energy consumption profile of your embedded IoT device marks the initial step toward achieving low-power design and extended battery life. The subsequent step is analysis, where you can make a significant impact on your energy optimization efforts.

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