LithiumIonBatteries
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Columbia rolls out Omni-Heat Electric gloves, jackets and boots, batteries included
Look, we don't want to think about those brutally cold winter days ahead either, but there's no denying that Columbia's new electrically heated apparel could take the sting out of those below-zero temperatures. Similar to the company's Bugathermo boots, its new gloves, jackets and boots pack what they call Omni-Heat Electric technology, which basically outfits the clothing with lithium polymer battery packs and a specially tailored heating system. Dubbed "on-demand" heat, you can turn on and off the heat with the touch of a button, and then adjust the level by pressing the color-changing LED-backlit button. The number / size of batteries depends on the article of clothing -- for instance, the jackets are equipped with two 15Wh batteries while each glove, as you can see up there, has a smaller capacity cell. So, how long will they keep you warm and toasty on the slopes? About six hours, says a Columbia product manager, and once out of juice you can charge them via any USB cord. Oh, and yes, you can refuel your phone or iPod using the battery pack itself -- obviously, we asked! At its press event in New York City this week, Columbia dressed us in a Circuit Breaker Softshell jacket (yes, that's what it's called) and a pair of the Bugaglove Max Electric gloves and threw us into its Omni-Heat freezer booth -- we have to say, our arms and back stayed mighty toasty and the jacket didn't feel as heavy as we expected. The gloves, on the other hand, are bulky, though may provide some good cushioning for novice snowboarders like ourselves. Of course, that heat is gonna cost ya. The aforementioned jacket rings up at $850 and the gloves at $400. Sure, picking up a few hand and boot warmers would be cheaper, but believe us, you wouldn't look or feel nearly as cool. %Gallery-106695% %Gallery-106692%
OSU Buckeye Bullet 2 sets new battery-powered speed record
Ohio State's Buckeye Bullet 2 has just set a new battery-powered vehicle record after hitting a speed of 291 mph averaged over two separate runs done back-to-back in opposite directions. Yes, it's technically slower than the two-way land speed record of 300.992 mph the original Bullet set back in 2009, but that car was powered by hydrogen fuel cells. This year's model instead was developed in partnership with boutique Monaco-based electric car manufacturer Venturi and replaced the fuel cells with lithium-ion batteries from A123 Systems. It's also apparently a testing prototype for a new car that's coming in 2011. Will that car hit these kind of world record speeds? Probably not, but we're not letting that dash our newly formed geek fantasy of seeing it drag against a Tesla.
Hitachi claims secret chemical formula will improve battery cathodes, double longevity
Before lithium-ion batteries, portable gadgets were a nightmare, forcing road warriors and Discman-toting teens to either swap disposable cells or deal with rechargables that (with few exceptions) were tricky to recharge. Of course, Li-ion batteries also have a downside: as laptop and cell phone users have no doubt found out, they too become disposable before long. One reason why is that acid in the electrolyte can corrode the cathode material -- and now, Hitachi claims it's found a way to strengthen its own. Using an undisclosed combination of elements to replace some of the manganese used in the company's cathodes, Hitachi claims they can strengthen their crystalline configuration to resist acid, reduce cost, and best of all, double the usable life of a lithium-ion cell to about ten years. We've heard similar claims before, of course, with other battery manufacturers promising us twenty years, but it looks like this technology might make it out of the lab. NEDO, a Japanese government organization, has commissioned Hitachi to bring these batteries to life for industrial applications like wind farms. Cell phones, sadly, will have to wait.
New lithium-ion battery could last 20 years, long after you've broken the devices they once powered
Modern gadgetry (you know, as opposed to "ancient gadgetry," such as the abacus and the hour glass) lives and dies by its batteries, so it's no surprise that lots of time and effort is spent researching both wacky alternatives to the tried and true power cell, as well as ways to make existing cells better. Among the latter, Nikkei is reporting that Eamex in Osaka, Japan, has developed a lithium-ion battery that will last some twenty years of regular use -- that's 10,000 charges! The secret to the long-lasting lithium-ion? In current designs, the tin that's used for the battery's negative electrode weakens through continual charging and recharging. The new design, however, calls for tin-coated resin that stabilizes the electrode and prevents deterioration. Why didn't we think of that? Look forward to seeing these exciting, new batteries debut in electric scooters sometime this year. [Warning: Source link requires subscription]
South Korean researchers devise a safer lithium ion battery
While some researchers are focused on making batteries that are both safer and longer-lasting, it seems like the folks at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (or KAERI) are simply concerned with making 'em really, really safe. To that end, they've now announced that they've managed to develop a new type of "separator" that is said to be far more resistant to heat and impact than traditional polyethylene separators. Made from a mix of polyethylene, nano-alumina and flourine-based resin that has been subjected to radiation, the new separator can supposedly hold up to temperatures of 150 degrees Celsius and "considerable outside impact," and it can apparently be applied to all sorts of lithium-ion batteries -- including everything from phones to laptops to electric cars. Of course, there's no word as to when we might actually see the new and improved batteries, but KAERI has apparently already applied for the necessary patents for the new technique.
New Sony lithium ion batteries promise 4x the capacity, 99% recharge in 30 minutes
Sony's certainly had its share of battery problems but, like most battery-makers, it's also doing its part to try to improve things, and it's now announced a new lithium-ion battery that should not only be more stable, but last significantly longer than traditional batteries as well. That's apparently possible in part due to its use of an olivine-type lithium iron phosphate for the cathode material, which should help boost the battery's overall lifespan to four times that of conventional lithium ion batteries, not to mention provide an 80% capacity retention after 2,000 charge-discharge cycles and, perhaps most impressively, a promised 99% recharge in just 30 minutes. According to Sony, the batteries are especially well suited for use in power tools (where they'll first show up), but it does say they'll also eventually be "expanded to a wide range of other mobile electronic devices."[Via Sony Insider]
Exploding iPod blows up in Apple's face
Apple's got a lot of problems when it comes to overheating iPod batteries -- not only is the situation potentially dangerous, every move Cupertino makes is subject to sensational misinterpretation. Take today's Times UK story this morning about 11-year-old Ellie Stanborough, whose iPod touch blew itself up last month: when her father Ken contacted Apple for a refund, it seems he got a little bit of a runaround, but was eventually sent a settlement agreement offering a full refund if the family agreed to keep the deal confidential. That's actually totally standard practice when companies settle out-of-warranty claims, but since the agreement was written by lawyers, it contained a bunch of vaguely threatening language about how breaking confidentiality might result in Apple relentlessly suing everyone until Liverpool itself goes bankrupt and the populace is forced to resort to cannibalism and network television. Cue hysterical media coverage. Now, it's no secret that lithium-ion batteries like those used in the iPod have a long history of overheating and exploding, and Apple's certainly had large-scale problems with defective cells -- the first-gen iPod nano has been recalled in Korea and Japan, for example. It's also obvious that the sheer number of iPods sold means there are more exploding iPods than anything else -- and while we're sure some accountant at Apple has a spreadsheet showing the exact failure rate is acceptable, all we've got right now is story after story of these things blowing up with zero context. So here's our suggestion to Apple: maybe instead of having lawyers draft individual settlement agreements full of impenetrable and scary legalese for each and every jilted iPod owner out there, why not simply fess up to the problem, let people know exactly how common it is and how to avoid it, and provide a dead-simple replacement option for people who've had their iPods go up in smoke? That would put everyone at ease, and make these types of stories much less likely to blow up in a media feeding frenzy. Or, you know, do nothing because overwhelming market share inevitably leads to arrogant laziness -- your call.[Via TUAW]
Andy Grove pushing Intel to manufacture electric car batteries
Former Intel chairman, Andy Grove, has been a prominent supporter of plug-in hybrid automobiles ever since he left his post at Intel. Now, in his role as Intel advisor, Grove is pushing CEO, Paul Otellini, to diversify Intel by manufacturing advanced batteries for plug-in electric vehicles. His argument is two fold: 1) the market is potentially huge (read: big profits!) as the world seems to be at an eVehicle tipping point, 2) with such little manufacturing capacity left in the US (and US automakers in deep trouble), if someone like Intel doesn't take on the challenge then the market will left be to Chinese and Japanese interests like BYD motors and the soon-to-merge Panasonic and Sanyo -- all of whom are positioning themselves to dominate the emerging battery market. While the move from silicon to battery tech might sound radical, it's worth remembering that Nokia, the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones was once a wood-pulp mill. Of course, if Intel ever perfects Tesla's its wireless power technology then this whole battery argument is moot.
Korean geniuses invent lithium batteries with eight times the juice
Oh, what wondrous things come from the land of Korea -- dancing emotional robot humanoids, oxygen-emitting robot plants, and multiple 24-hour StarCraft channels. It's all good, and we dig robotics and televised gaming, but this latest invention could be our favorite if it pans out. Professor Cho Jae-Phil and his team at Hanyang University have replaced the graphite in lithium batteries with a certain kind of silicon, which we're told can store eight times the power. No word on what the batteries have actually been used for yet, but it stands to reason they could eventually make it to consumer electronics. Now you see why we're willing to say this might be better than 24-hour StarCraft. Say it with us: 48-hour StarCraft.
Tesla to supply Mercedes-Benz with lithium-ion batteries?
Man, Tesla's been busy today -- in addition to the announcement of the Model S and Elon Musk's promise of a sub-$30K electric car in four years, word on the street is that the company's inked a deal with Daimler AG to supply it with lithium-ion batteries for upcoming electric cars. Daimler's CEO has said the company was open to leasing battery tech to get out an electric Smart by 2010 and it's rumored that the German marque is looking to ditch gas entirely by 2015, so going to Tesla, which has been working on battery tech for some time, isn't a totally out there proposition. Just a rumor for now -- given Tesla's generally-prickly relationships with others, we'd wait for an official announcement before getting too excited about a Roadster-powered SLR, but it's certainly intriguing.
