Dielectric Amorphous-Oxide electrolytes

Abstract

Dielectric amorphous-oxide electrolytes developed at the University of Porto, Portugal have been used at the University of Texas at Austin to develop novel designs for a safe, low-cost rechargeable battery with long charge/discharge cycle life targeted for over 150,000 miles driving and a large volumetric density of stored electric power targeted for a driving range greater than 300 miles with one charge. Fast-moving A+ cations (A = Li, Na) and slower-moving electric dipoles coexist in the dielectric glass electrolytes; this coexistence gives rise to two novel phenomena: self-charge and self-cycling of a rechargeable electrochemical cell. The complex oxides provide a basis for optimism that an all-electric road vehicle powered by batteries charged by solar and wind energy can soon begin to replace the road vehicles now powered by an internal combustion engine running on the chemical energy stored in a fossil fuel.