Revolutionary Wine-Derived Compound Could Replace Graphite in Electric Vehicle Batteries

Can wine be an alternative to electric vehicle batteries?

A team of researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have created a sustainable compound derived from food acids that could replace graphite in lithium-ion batteries – including acids found in the wine

This innovative approach could make lithium-ion batteries more efficient, durable and affordable, as wine could replace graphite, a key component used in battery anodes at it requires high temperatures, cleaning energy and the use of aggressive chemicals. .

“About 60% of graphite is lost in the processing stages, which usually require high temperatures and strong acids to achieve the required purity,” said Neeraj Sharma, responsible for the study, who highlighted the need for an environmentally friendly alternative.

This alternative was found by researchers in compounds derived from food acids, such as tartaric acid and malic acid, common by-products of winemaking and the food industry – these residues are usually thrown away and can now be reused in battery parts.

To achieve this, the team of scientists created a prototype battery cell that stores more energy than current graphite-based batteries: the prototype, according to the ‘Intelligent Engineering’ platform, has the potential to extend the useful life of batteries to expand, reducing the frequency of charges, as well as a size similar to the batteries used in smartphones.

The scientific team is now working on scaling up the production process and testing the technology for larger devices, and they also aim to ensure that the new batteries can withstand frequent use. and different temperatures.