The new energy sector has been booming recently. Today we will talk about the development and working principles of batteries and mobile phone batteries.

1. The working principle of the battery

The device that can directly convert chemical energy, light energy, heat energy, etc. into electrical energy is called a battery. It includes chemical batteries, nuclear batteries, etc., and what we usually call batteries generally refers to chemical batteries.

Practical chemical batteries are divided into primary batteries and accumulators. The batteries that we come into contact with in our daily lives are mainly accumulators. The battery needs to be charged before use, and then it can be discharged. When charging, the electrical energy is converted into chemical energy; when discharging, the chemical energy is converted into electrical energy.

When the battery is discharged, the current is transferred from the positive electrode to the negative electrode through an external circuit. In the electrolyte, the positive ions and negative ions are respectively transmitted to the electrodes, and the current is transmitted from the negative electrode to the positive electrode. When the battery is discharged, the two electrodes undergo a chemical reaction, and the circuit is disconnected or a chemical reaction occurs. When the material is exhausted, the discharge will stop.

Depending on the materials used inside the battery, the battery can be rechargeable or non-rechargeable. Some chemical reactions are reversible, and some are irreversible.

The capacity and speed of the battery depend on its material.

2 The history of cell phone batteries

Mobile phone batteries can basically be divided into three stages: Ni-Cd battery → Ni-MH battery →

From the names of these three stages, we can see that the main chemical elements used in batteries are changing, and there are more technological innovations in batteries. We can even say that without lithium batteries, there would be no mobile smart life today.

When mobile phones first appeared in the 1980s, they were also called “mobile phones.” From the name, we can see that it is huge. The main reason why it is big is because of its big battery.

In the 1990s, Ni-MH batteries appeared, which are smaller and more environmentally friendly. Motorola’s star product StarTAC uses nickel metal hydride batteries, which are small enough to subvert people’s perception. The StarTAC328, released in 1996, was the world’s first flip phone, weighing only 87 grams.

In the early 1990s, lithium batteries also appeared. In 1992, Sony introduced its own lithium battery into its products, but due to the high price and lack of excellent power, it could only be used in its own products. Subsequently, with the technological innovation of lithium battery materials and the progress of manufacturing technology, its capacity and cost have been improved, and gradually won the favor of more manufacturers. The era of lithium batteries has officially arrived.

Lithium battery and the Nobel Prize

Although the replacement of mobile phones is developing rapidly, the development of mobile phone batteries is relatively slow. According to survey data, the capacity of batteries only increases by 10% every 10 years. It is almost impossible to significantly increase the capacity of mobile phone batteries in a short period of time, so the field of mobile phone batteries also has unlimited possibilities and potentials.

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Professor John Goodenough, Stanley Whittingham and Dr. Akira Yoshino for their work in the field of lithium batteries. In fact, every year before they win, some people predict whether lithium batteries will win. The progress of lithium batteries has a great impact and contribution to society, and their awards are well-deserved.

The first oil crisis of the Middle East war in the 1970s led people to realize the importance of getting rid of the dependence on oil. Entering new energy sources can replace oil. Also enthusiastic countries have created new heights in the research and development of batteries. With the impact of the oil crisis, he hopes to make contributions in the field of alternative energy.

As an ancient element produced in the first few minutes of the Big Bang, lithium was first discovered by Swedish chemists in the form of lithium ions in the early 19th century. It is extremely reactive. Its weakness lies in reactivity, but it is also Its strengths.

When pure lithium is used as an anode to charge a battery, lithium dendrites are formed, which can cause a short circuit in the battery, cause a fire or even an explosion, but researchers have never given up on lithium batteries.

Three Nobel Prize winners: Stanley Whittingham was the first fully functional lithium battery that worked at room temperature in the early 1970s, using the powerful drive of lithium to release external electrons;

Whittingham’s battery can generate a little over two volts. In 1980, Goodenough discovered that the use of cobalt lithium in the cathode can double the voltage. He doubled the potential of the battery, and the high-energy-density cathode material is very light, but it can make a stronger battery. He created better conditions for the development of more useful batteries;

In 1985, Akase Yoshino developed the first commercial robot. He chose the lithium cobalt acid used by Goodeneuf as the cathode and successfully replaced the lithium alloy with carbon as the negative electrode of the battery. He developed a lithium battery with stable operation, light weight, large capacity, safe replacement, and greatly reduced risk of spontaneous combustion.

It is their research that has pushed lithium batteries to countless electronic products, allowing us to enjoy modern mobile life. Lithium batteries have created suitable conditions for a wireless, fossil-fuel-free new society, and greatly benefited mankind.

Technology never stops

In those days, it took 10 hours to charge and 35 minutes to talk, but now, our mobile phones are constantly iterating. We will not be subject to the charging problem for a long time as we did in the past, but the technology has never stopped. We are still exploring the road of large capacity, small size, and long battery life.

So far, the dendrite problem of lithium batteries still haunts researchers like a ghost. Faced with this major security risk, scientists all over the world are still working hard. Goodenough, the 90-year-old Nobel Prize winner, has resolutely devoted himself to the research and development of solid-state batteries.

Friend, what do you think of new energy? What is your outlook for the future of the battery field? What are your expectations for future mobile phones?

Welcome to leave a message to discuss, please pay attention to black hole science, and bring you more interesting science.