No Mining, No Poison: Researchers Develop Battery of the Future

A battery designed by researchers in IBM Research’s Battery Lab is opening a new door to the electronics industry: unlike lithium-ion, the new alternative is non-toxic, and does not involve mining.

Heavy metals found in lithium-ion batteries – used in most rechargeable tech items we own – are hazardous to the environment. Additionally, many of the materials such as nickel and cobalt need to be mined, often involving child labor and unethical work conditions.

In a drive for change, the breakthrough innovation uses never-before-combined materials extracted from seawater instead of nickel and cobalt, and IBM finds potential in the more affordable energy-efficient battery to outperform the traditional lithium-ion ones. The battery also uses a combination of cathode and safe liquid electrolyte to help reduce flammability.

According to IBM, the potentially safer battery charges faster, has a higher power and energy density, and could “transform the long-term sustainability of many elements of our energy infrastructure.”