Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts
Saturday, June 27, 2026
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Sunday, May 10, 2026
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Sunday, April 19, 2026
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Monday, March 2, 2026
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Monday, February 27, 2023
Siapa saja 10 negara dengan kekayaan Sumber Daya Alam terbesar di dunia?
Berikut adalah 10 negara dengan kekayaan sumber daya alam terbesar di dunia:
- Rusia: Rusia memiliki sumber daya alam yang sangat beragam, termasuk gas alam, minyak, bijih besi, timah, nikel, dan berlian.
- Amerika Serikat: Amerika Serikat memiliki kekayaan sumber daya alam yang beragam, termasuk gas alam, minyak, batu bara, tembaga, dan emas.
- China: China memiliki sumber daya alam yang sangat besar, termasuk batu bara, bijih besi, timah, seng, dan molibdenum.
- Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia merupakan produsen minyak terbesar di dunia dan memiliki cadangan minyak yang sangat besar.
- Kanada: Kanada memiliki sumber daya alam yang melimpah, termasuk minyak, gas alam, uranium, dan kayu.
- Brasil: Brasil memiliki sumber daya alam yang melimpah, termasuk bijih besi, nikel, aluminium, tembaga, dan emas.
- Australia: Australia memiliki sumber daya alam yang sangat beragam, termasuk gas alam, minyak, batu bara, bijih besi, tembaga, dan emas.
- Indonesia: Indonesia memiliki kekayaan sumber daya alam yang melimpah, termasuk minyak, gas alam, batu bara, timah, nikel, dan tembaga.
- Argentina: Argentina memiliki sumber daya alam yang melimpah, termasuk bijih besi, perak, tembaga, uranium, dan gas alam.
- Afrika Selatan: Afrika Selatan memiliki kekayaan sumber daya alam yang beragam, termasuk bijih besi, platinum, emas, dan berlian.
Apakah misi ke planet Mars itu sepadan dengan hasilnya?
Misi ke planet Mars telah menjadi topik yang sangat kontroversial dalam beberapa tahun terakhir. Meskipun banyak orang yang menganggapnya sebagai langkah penting dalam eksplorasi ruang angkasa dan pencarian kehidupan di luar Bumi, ada juga yang meragukan seberapa sepadan misi tersebut.
Di satu sisi, misi ke planet Mars dapat memberikan banyak manfaat. Misalnya, misi tersebut dapat membantu kita memahami sejarah dan karakteristik planet tersebut, serta mencari tanda-tanda kehidupan. Selain itu, eksplorasi Mars juga dapat memperluas pengetahuan kita tentang kosmos secara keseluruhan, serta memberikan manfaat teknologi dan ilmiah yang dapat diterapkan di Bumi.
Namun, di sisi lain, misi ke Mars juga memiliki beberapa keterbatasan dan tantangan. Misalnya, biaya misi ke Mars sangatlah mahal dan dapat mencapai miliaran dolar. Selain itu, risiko keselamatan dan keberhasilan misi juga sangat tinggi karena kondisi lingkungan yang ekstrem di planet Mars. Selain itu, ada juga masalah etika terkait dengan pengiriman manusia ke planet lain dan bagaimana kita dapat memastikan keselamatan dan keberhasilan mereka.
Secara keseluruhan, seberapa sepadan misi ke Mars tergantung pada tujuan dan prioritas masing-masing. Jika tujuan misi tersebut dianggap penting dan memberikan manfaat besar bagi ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi, serta dapat dijalankan dengan aman dan efektif, maka misi tersebut dapat dianggap sepadan. Namun, jika biayanya terlalu tinggi atau terdapat risiko yang tidak dapat diatasi, maka mungkin perlu untuk mempertimbangkan alternatif lain atau menunda misi tersebut.
Mineral-mineral apa saja yang terkandung di dalam planet Mars?
Berbagai studi dan misi ilmiah telah menunjukkan bahwa Mars memiliki sejumlah mineral yang berbeda di permukaannya dan di bawah permukaannya. Beberapa mineral penting yang ditemukan di Mars antara lain:
- Hematit: Mineral ini adalah oksida besi dan terbentuk dari air yang ada di Mars. Hematit sangat penting dalam menjelajahi Mars karena kemampuannya untuk menarik perhatian manusia di Bumi, sehingga para ilmuwan dapat mengidentifikasi lokasi yang menarik untuk dieksplorasi.
- Magnetit: Mineral ini adalah magnet yang ditemukan di Mars, dan kemungkinan besar terbentuk dari proses hidrotermal atau magma. Magnetit sangat penting karena kemampuannya untuk membantu menjelaskan sejarah medan magnetik Mars.
- Olivin: Mineral ini adalah silikat besi-magnesium dan dapat memberikan petunjuk tentang bagaimana kerak Mars terbentuk dan berkembang.
- Piroksen: Mineral ini terbentuk dari magma dan dapat memberikan informasi tentang kondisi fisik dan kimia yang ada di Mars.
- Silika: Mineral ini terbentuk dari batuan vulkanik dan telah ditemukan di beberapa lokasi di Mars. Silika dapat memberikan informasi tentang kondisi lingkungan Mars yang ada di masa lalu.
- Klor: Mineral ini terbentuk dari proses evaporasi air di Mars dan telah ditemukan di beberapa tempat di permukaan Mars. Klor dapat memberikan informasi tentang kondisi lingkungan Mars di masa lalu.
Ini hanya beberapa contoh mineral yang telah ditemukan di Mars, dan masih banyak lagi yang sedang dieksplorasi oleh para ilmuwan. Informasi tentang mineral di Mars sangat penting dalam memahami sejarah planet ini dan menentukan apakah Mars dapat mendukung kehidupan di masa depan.
Friday, April 8, 2022
A technique you can use to start having new innovations today
How do you produce ideas for new innovations? Here is a great technique: Extract some basic ideas from existing products and inventions, and then apply them to new areas.
If you look at a thermostat, for example, you might think "A device to control the indoor climate." This is certainly an idea that can be used to come up with something new. You have to look a little deeper, though, if you want more creative innovations. Continue with, "It measures the temperature and then, using that information, turns the heater on or off, to keep the house comfortable."
Continuing even deeper, we see that it uses measurement in order to control something. Let's work with that concept. With the technology that exists today, we can make things happen automatically, according to almost anything we can automatically measure. This is a powerful concept that can and will lead to some fantastic new innovations.
In an article on thought control, I pointed out that since we can measure the changing activity of the brain as we change the nature of our thoughts, we can already build a device that is operated just by our thoughts. Even with the technology of thirty years ago, we could have had a TV turn on whenever one's pulse rate increased. If you then trained yourself to increase your pulse rate by thinking certain thoughts, you could turn on a television with your thoughts.
Other New Innovations
To have many such ideas and new innovations, just look around and start applying the basic concept of control by measurement. Looking at the television, and thinking of measurable things related to it, time is an obvious one. There are "sleep timers" that turn the TV off after a certain amount of time, but how about a device that only allows the TV to be on for three hours in any given day? Kids can watch when they want, but they won't be able to watch too much.
A thermometer gives me the idea for a sign that changes it's message according to the weather. A restaurant, for example, could have the sign say "Come in out of the cold," when it was cold, or "Cool off with an ice cold drink," when it was hot, and so on. I'm sure there are other businesses whose messages would be variously more or less effective according to the weather.
When I look at the traffic, I see that speed can be measured. There are already those radar signs now, that tell you how fast you are going. There could be a sign down the road that says "Slow down, we're taking your picture," or the radar gun could turn on a fake siren whenever someone goes ten miles per hour over the limit. The idea is simply that their speed triggers something that will hopefully slow them down.
Yesterday I saw a new invention that measures your girth. So what does it do with that information? Well, if you hold your stomach in, you get clear sound in your headphones. If you let your stomach hang out, the music is low quality and loses volume. While I'm not sure how well this stomach-exercise-motivator will sell, it does show how using the concept of measurement to control can lead to very different innovations. In fact, any application of a basic concept to new areas can lead to new innovations.
Thursday, March 31, 2022
The techniques of innovation and creative problem solving in thirty minutes
How many new products and inventions can you dream up with in thirty minutes? At least a few if you know the techniques of innovation and creative problem solving. The following are thirty minute's worth, with some notes at how they were arrived at.
New Products and Inventions From Old
A fast way to invent new things is to start with existing concepts and find new applications. With the concept of inflatable things, the first thing that comes to my mind is inflatable shelters for emergency situations, such as after earthquakes or hurricanes. Such shelters could be transported easily, and erected quickly with a simple air pump. A basic large tent design, but with inflatable ribs instead of poles might work.
We can always find new products and inventions for babies. Inflatable cribs or playpens come to mind. Deflated, they could be folded up and stored almost anywhere. A simple design for a playpen might be a plastic floor with a simple wall that surrounds it and is attached to it. Think of air mattresses for swimming, set on their sides, connected end to end and wrapped into a circle and you'll get the idea.
When we used to go "tubing" down rivers in Michigan, we were forever trying new ways to carry a cooler with us while keeping it convenient to get a soda or beer out of it. A solution could be an inflatable bar. It might have a cooler built into it, have can and glass holders, and maybe even a secure place to set snacks. It could be used in a pool, lake or river.
Many people drive into water and die each year. One solution to this problem might be inflatable flotation that is activated when the car begins to sink. They would quickly inflate in an accident involving submersion, and would keep the car afloat. Put one in the trunk, and another inside the car, or have them come out from the wheel wells. To avoid accidental inflation, the triggering device would be activated by water, but be in a place where rain and car washing water couldn't reach.
Vending Machine Products and Inventions
When I considered the concept of vending machines, the first thing that came to mind was a beer machine. It could only be used in a bar that was restricted to adults, of course. A big benefit is that it would lessen the need for bartenders, since half of all the drinks sold in a bar are just simple beers. It is an innovation that could be implemented tomorrow, using beer in cans in existing pop machines.
A vending machine for books and magazines might do decent business in an airport, bus station or other places where people are forced to sit for hours. They may already exist, but I haven't seen them yet. Add some padding to the drop chute, and existing snack vending machines could be used.
They sell phone cards everywhere now, but I haven't yet seen them in vending machines. You could also sell those collapsible umbrellas from a machine. There are dozens of other things that could be profitably sold from vending machines. Use simple techniques like this extension of existing concepts, and there are also thousands of other new products and inventions waiting to be made.
Monday, September 21, 2020
Lamps: The History and Evolution
Numerous references from olden ages have illuminated the fact that lamps have been used to spread light, even before electricity was invented, and lighting was given a new meaning. The use of lamps can be broadly classified into two eras: The pre-electrical era and the post electrical era.
Lamps: The Pre-electrical Era
The invention and first usage of lamp can be dated back to 70,000 BC. At that time, there was no metal or bronze to make lamps instead the then civilization used hollow rocks and shells. These hollow rocks were filled with moss and other natural substances and then soaked in animal fat. Animal fat acted as oil and this is how the first lamps were ignited.
With the advent of pottery, and the bronze and copper age, humans started to make lamps that imitated other natural shapes. Wicks came into existence much later and were used for controlling the flame or the rate of burning. In the 7th century BC, Greeks started using terra cotta lamps, which replaced the handheld torches. The word lamp has been derived from the Greek word lampas, which means torch.
Lamps and the Design Change
There was a major change in the design of lamps in the 18th century, when the central burner was invented. With the invention of the burner, a separate fuel source was made from metal. Another small change made was the addition of a metal tube that could be adjusted to control the intensity of the flame or light.
This was an important discovery in terms of lighting because with adjustment, humans were able to diminish the lighting or make it bright as required. Another aspect was added to the new lamp, which was in the form of small glass chimneys. The role of the glass chimney was to protect the flame as well as control the air flow.
Swiss chemist Ami Argand used the hollow circular wick in an oil lamp for the very first time in 1783.
Fuels for Lighting
Different kinds of fuels have been used for lighting a lamp between 70,000 BC and now. Most of the early forms of fuel were beeswax, olive oil, animal fat, fish oil, sesame oil, whale oil, nut oil etc. These were also among the most commonly used forms of fuel for lighting a lamp till the late 18th century.
Around 1859, the first drilling process was initiated to find petroleum and with the advent of kerosene, which is a derivative of petroleum, lamp became more popular and usage increased. Kerosene enabled lighting was first introduced in Germany in 1853.
During the same time two other products were used for lamp lighting purposes and they were natural gas and coal. The first use of coal gas lamps was in 1784.
Electrical Lighting Lamps
Lamps have actually come a long way from usage of coal gas to electricity. In 1801, Sir Humphrey Davy of England invented the electric carbon arc lamp, which was the first of its kind. The working principle for this lamp was simple and included hooking of two carbon rods to an electrical source.
The carbon rods were kept at a distance from each other so that electrical current could flow through the arc and thus vaporize carbon to create white lighting. Around 1857, A.E. Becquerel of France came out with the theory of fluorescent lighting in lamps. In the 1870’s, the unthinkable happened with Thomas Edison inventing the first electric incandescent lamp. Since then incandescent lamps were used for lighting purposes in homes till about the early 20th century.
In 1901, Peter Cooper Hewitt patented his new invention, the mercury vapor lamp. This was another type of arc lamp that enhanced lighting using mercury vapors, which were enclosed in a glass bulb. The Mercury vapor lamps set the prototype for fluorescent lighting lamps.
The Neon lamp was invented by Georges Claude of France in 1911 followed by Irving Langmuir, an American who invented the electric gas-filled incandescent lamp in 1915. In 1927, Hans Spanner, Friedrich Meyer, and Edmund Germer patented the first fluorescent lamp. The fluorescent lamps provided better lighting as compared to the mercury vapor lamps because they were coated from inside with beryllium.
Since then we have been using different form of lighting in lamps, which includes Mercury vapors, incandescent lamps and even today, in some corners of the earth people still use the old wick and oil lamp for lighting their homes.
Thursday, September 17, 2020
UND and PNNL Researchers Identified Unique Pathways & Pretreatments to Extract Rare Earth Elements From Low-rank Coal Ash
With the support of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), researchers from the University of North Dakota (UND) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) identified unique pathways and pretreatments to extract rare earth elements (REEs) from low-rank coal (LRC) ash.
LRCs such as lignites are one of the most abundant fossil fuel sources in the world. To understand the forms, associations, and partitioning of the REEs, along with other relevant elements and minerals in the ash samples, as well as their ash chemistry, mineralogy, and morphology, the research team conducted an extensive characterization effort.
Researchers produced a mixed REE concentrate that was greater than 2 percent by weight using ash samples from full-scale power generation stations and a pilot-scale combustion system at UND. The sequential extraction methods utilized by UND and PNNL are tunable and can be adjusted to accommodate the differences in LRC ash chemistries and physical properties for recovering REEs with maximum processing efficiency.
“NETL supports several research projects throughout the Nation with the goal of finding affordable ways to obtain the rare earth elements we need to keep our economy going,” said Anthony Zinn, NETL’s project manager. “The extraction method developed at UND offers a degree of flexibility which may make it attractive for potential users in the future, allowing the economy to grow while also disposing of fly ash from our existing coal-based power plant fleet.”
The researchers determined that if higher levels of REEs were in the initial LRC ash, the process could be economically viable even without further optimization, as long as additional high-value metals or critical minerals were recovered. Additionally, a simple water wash pretreatment of the samples can reduce the required amounts of acid for initial REE extraction from lignite ash. The pretreatment reduces costs and adverse environmental impacts while improving worksite safety.
This flexible REE extraction method was an outcome of a NETL-funded cooperative agreement intended to develop a domestic supply chain for REEs. REEs are vital for manufacturing personal electronics, energy infrastructure and defense technologies, and many other high-tech applications.
NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory that produces technological solutions for America’s energy challenges. From developing creative innovations and efficient energy systems that make coal more competitive, to advancing technologies that enhance oil and natural gas extraction and transmission processes, NETL research is providing breakthroughs and discoveries that support domestic energy initiatives, stimulate a growing economy, and improve the health, safety, and security of all Americans. Highly skilled men and women at NETL’s sites in Albany, Oregon; Anchorage, Alaska; Houston, Texas; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania conduct a broad range of research activities that support DOE’s mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.
The 10 largest coal producers and exporters in Indonesia:
Monday, September 14, 2020
What is Correlation Between Thunderstorm, Lightning and Thunder?
A dramatic concoction of electrical discharges and loud thunders along with torrential downpour, hail and sometimes snow is a thunderstorm. Everyday about 40000 thunderstorms occur in the world, most commonly in the equatorial region and in the United States, specifically in the Midwest and the South of the nation.
Moisture, instable climate and air lift are the three primary causes of thunderstorms. Thunderstorms are examined to go through 3 distinct stages: the cumulus (or the developing) stage, the stage of maturity and that of dissipation.
The first stage takes place when warm and moist air flows upward replacing the cold air. The air rises for convectional movement or frontal clashes or even orographic lift. The moisture content in the mass of air cools down and forms cumulus clouds. Condensation of the moisture also causes convection.
The mature stage of the storm begins with the rising air meeting the tropopause. Then the clouds spread on top and gives the cloud its characteristic anvil shape. In case of sever storms the updrafts are so strong that they even punch up to the stratosphere from the tropopause.
Within the clouds the water droplets turn into raindrops and even ice particles at times. Theses particles become rain again as they fall. Sometimes the updraft is so strong that it forms larger ice particles which do not melt and come down to the earth as hail.
Lightning and Thunder
When electrical charge builds up in a thunderstorm then the lightning is formed. These electrically charged particles emits bright light and the electrical current heats up the air into a plasma mass which produces the acoustic shocks which we can hear as the roaring of the thunder.
It is not fully known exactly how the electrical discharge creates thunder. The widely accepted idea says that it is the polarization of the precipitation within the cumulus cloud that produces it.
As the ice crystals and water droplets move along the earth's electric field they take up positive and negative charges. The positively charged particles tend to go up while the negatively charged particles accumulate in the bottom of the cloud.
The oppositely charged particles attract each other but are insulated by the mass of air. When the charge builds quite strength, there might occur an electrical discharge within the cloud or between the clouds and even turn from the clouds to the ground. But one out of four thunders reaches the earth. Bolts of lightning moves at about 60000 miles an hour.
About 95% of the lightning is negative. This is because it is the negative charged particles that get discharged from the cloud. However 5% of the thunders are positive which travels down to the negatively charged ground. It was discovered only in the 1970s that the positive lightning is 6 to 10 times more powerful than the negative ones. It has the potential to become a threat to all mankind and technology.
Thunder forms when the lightning bolt heats its surroundings to a great extent and this makes it to expand and then contract fast. Sound travels slower than the light. This makes it possible for us to calculate how far the lightning is by counting the time between the light and the sound of the thunder. Sound travels at around one mile in 5 seconds. The thunders that occur about 20 miles away are usually not heard.
Sunday, September 13, 2020
Why is Graphene Battery Better Than Lithium Battery?
History
Before graphene, there was graphite, and most of us know that as the “stuff pencils are made out of”. Graphite is a 3-dimensional compound and for the longest time, scientists have always theorized that graphene could be isolated from graphite in a 2-dimensional form. In 2004, two scientists, Andrew Giem and Konstantin Novoselov at the University of Manchester, created the first sample of graphene. The two were polishing a sample of graphite with tape and noticed extremely thin flakes stuck to the tape. This inspired them to create the thinnest sample possible and as a result, our friend graphene was born. This discovery took the scientific world by storm and in 2010, the two scientists won the Nobel Prize.
Properties
As crazy as it may sound, graphene is as critical to human civilization as bronze, iron, and plastics. For a compound so thin, yet powerful, specialists are dubbing graphene as a “supermaterial”. An entire world of physics and engineering will open up to a new era of advancements once graphene can be produced at a large scale.
Graphene is truly amazing because of its many properties. It’s over 100x stronger than steel, incredibly thin at only one atom thick, almost completely transparent, light as a feather, and the absolute perfect conductor of electricity and heat. The strength of graphene is so mind-blowing, it was found that even 2 atomic layers of this material can be bulletproof. Yes, only two! These unique properties make graphene ideal for all kinds of electronic application and beyond. The limit to graphene is our own imagination.
Graphene Applications
Graphene is a near perfect conductor of electricity. This allows electricity to flow without hindrance. This dramatically slows the heating process lithium batteries face while allowing charging speeds up to 5 times as fast. This also increases the battery life by 5 times the charging cycles.
Graphene also evenly disperses heat acting as a cooling system. Graphene already generates less heat due to extremely low resistivity. But graphene also conducts heat evenly across battery to help cool the battery.
Why are current lithium batteries so limited?
To keep it plain and simple: HEAT. When a device is charging, heat is generated based on resistivity of conductor. Generated heat increases the resistivity of lithium. Since the lithium is hotter, the resistivity is higher, which means the device charges even more heat. All of this heat creates a positive feedback loop that can spiral out of control and cause the battery to literally burst into flames.
As you can imagine, this isn’t ideal, so to prevent from catching on fire, batteries will regulate the speed of charging, but this results in battery charging speeds to slowly crawl.
The 10 largest coal producers and exporters in Indonesia:
- Indo Tambangraya Megah (ITMG)
- Bukit Asam (PTBA)
- Baramulti Sukses Sarana (BSSR)
- Harum Energy (HRUM)
- Adaro Energy (ADRO)
- Bumi Resources (BUMI)
- Mitrabara Adiperdana (MBAP)
- Samindo Resources (MYOH)
- United Tractors (UNTR)
- Berau Coal
Source: Real Graphene USA
Could Graphene Battery for Tesla Happen?
Tesla has generated a lot of consumer interest with its Model 3 sedan — a US$40,000 car — that the company believes will help make electric vehicles (EVs) available to the masses. Today, the Model 3 is the world’s best selling plug-in EV model, according to Statista, with worldwide unit sales of more than 300,000 in 2019.
Because Tesla’s electric vehicles run on lithium-ion batteries, which in addition lithium, also include graphite and cobalt. Demand for those metals is expected to increase as Tesla sells more of its electric vehicles.
But some investors are still wondering whether Tesla’s lithium-ion batteries may eventually include another interesting material; a single layer of crystalline allotrope within carbon known as graphene.
A battery is composed of a cathode and anode. The lithium-ion battery commonly contains a graphite anode. Graphene technology has the potential to be leveraged in lithium-batteries as a graphene electrode.
Although there has been some challenges in the reliability within these electrode materials, reduced graphene oxide — a solution of water and graphene — has been shown to display promising attributes within lithium-ion batteries.
In addition, when a metal oxide is attached onto graphene, the energy storage functions are markedly improved. Metal oxides are commonly used in lighting, magnets and superconductors, among other applications.
Is it a possibility? Read on to find out what could be in store from Tesla.
Graphene battery for Tesla: Could it happen?
Widely regarded as the “wonder material” of the 21st century, graphene has an impressive list of characteristics: it’s a better electricity conductor than copper, impermeable to gases, 200 times stronger than steel (but six times lighter) and almost completely transparent. Furthermore, its properties can be altered when chemical components are added to its surface.
Those qualities give graphene seemingly endless applications, though most still aren’t commercially available. But could graphene really be used to make better lithium-ion batteries? And if so, is that something Tesla is pursuing? The short answer is “probably not,” but there’s more to the story than that.
Here’s a brief overview of what you should know about Tesla and graphene:
- 500-mile graphene battery: China’s Xinhua News Agency is largely responsible for rumors that Tesla may be making a graphene battery. Why? Back in 2014, the news outlet published an article stating that Tesla was working on a graphene battery that could nearly double the range of the Model S to 500 miles.
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk chimes in: Xinhua’s story was given credence because around the same time it came out because Musk said that he thought it would be possible to create an electric vehicle with a range of 500 miles. “In fact we could do it quite soon, but it would increase the price,” he said. However, he didn’t specify that graphene would be used to create such a vehicle.
- Market watchers pile on: Together, the article and comment from Musk understandably created an uproar in the graphene community — click here, here or here to get a sense of some of the commentary on the topic. Notably, market watchers pointed out that, while a graphene battery might be great for mileage, the cost of graphene could make it prohibitively expensive.
- Excitement subsides: With no new reports on Tesla’s graphene plans, excitement about the 500-mile battery calmed down.
- 330-mile peak: Sources show that Tesla batteries, produced by Panasonic (TSE:6752), have a maximum 330-mile range among its top-line models. The current battery electrodes are lithium-ion based.
- Renewing activity again: In May 2019, Tesla announced that it acquired Maxwell Technologies. Notably, Maxwell offers fast charging capabilities through its supercapacitors. Graphene supercapacitors have the ability to store incredible amounts of energy compared to regular capacitors.
- One million mile battery on horizon: Then, Musk reported that Tesla will be powering electric cars for 1 million miles across the lifetime of its li-ion batteries. In a study published in September 2019 by Dalhousie University, researchers suggested that a lithium battery composed of nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) as its cathode and using artificial graphite, a structure of graphene, had significant viability. In the paper, physicist Jeff Dahn revealed the battery composite. This is especially rare, since researchers in rechargeable batteries and the graphene industry typically safeguard these results.
Graphene battery for Tesla: Current challenges
Unsurprisingly, there are a number of hurdles to the commercialization of using graphite materials in batteries. One, there are presently current density challenges, which impact the safety and strength of lithium batteries in EVs. Unresolved issues surrounding conductivity that ultimately degrade the overall battery capacity still remain as well.
Graphene battery for Tesla: The competition
That’s where the situation stands today. While a graphene battery from Tesla is certainly a compelling idea, as of yet there’s been no confirmation that the company actually has one in the works.
That said, there are other companies interested in the idea of graphene batteries that might someday power EVs. For example, major tech company Samsung (KRX:005930) is working on a graphene ball battery that could reduce charging times from 45 minutes to 12 minutes. Of course, investors are clamoring to know how soon this new development could be applied to the auto sector.
There’s also a startup from Spain called Earthdas that has developed a graphene battery that charges motorcycles and electric bikes in only five minutes. Again, people speculate that it’s only a matter of time before it can be used for other vehicles.
In early 2020, Spain-based Graphenano reported that together with a Chinese partner it is working to develop a graphene polymer-based battery that would allow for a range of up to 500 kilometers and the ability to recharge in less than 5 minutes.
Also in 2020, Chinese EV maker Guangzhou Automobile New Energy announced that it has developed a graphene-enhanced battery that can be charged up to 85 percent in 8 minutes. Guangzhou believes the battery can be available for mass production as early as the end of this year.
In a further sign of development, Sila Nanotechnologies is developing a battery that bypasses the use of a graphite anode and instead replaces it with silicon. These silicon anode materials, in turn, have a charge rate that surpasses graphite cells. The company states that silicon anodes have the ability to absorb lithium ions at a faster rate than graphite due to the fact that they have a higher energy density.
In line with this, Enevate is a firm that is developing silicon-based lithium batteries, which it claims have superior technology compared to graphene materials.
“We can sustain a charge rate 10 times as fast as a conventional graphite cell,” Robert A. Rango, CEO of Enevate, told CNBC.
As a graphite anode surface area is prone to cracking, this negatively impacts its ability to store energy. Silicon, on the other hand, can adapt to a large surface area.
Overall, it would appear that Tesla is not the final answer on the graphene battery. But graphene is considered the “wonder material” of the 21st century; if Tesla wants to keep up with the competition, it’s possible graphene batteries may be a part of the company’s future.
The 10 largest coal producers and exporters in Indonesia:
- Indo Tambangraya Megah (ITMG)
- Bukit Asam (PTBA)
- Baramulti Sukses Sarana (BSSR)
- Harum Energy (HRUM)
- Adaro Energy (ADRO)
- Bumi Resources (BUMI)
- Mitrabara Adiperdana (MBAP)
- Samindo Resources (MYOH)
- United Tractors (UNTR)
- Berau Coal
Source: Investing News