Innovative New Battery Technology that is 10 times more effective than what is currently used.

Through the ever increasing amount of vehicles being driven in the world, there is a concern that the natural resources are being depleted at an ever in creasing rate (fossil fuels/crude oil) which coincidently means an increase in fuel prices as well as carbon emissions leading to environmental concerns. There has been a recent surge of interest in alternative solutions that are efficient as well as practical.  IBM have managed to create a prototype battery power source called the ' Lithium Air'  that is more efficient in storing power per kilogram of weight, with lithium being more than 80% lighter  than the current battery material that's in production, Lithium Ion.
Current Electric cars can only manage to travel 100 miles (about 164 kilometers) where as the new IBM Lithium Air technology, will be able to reach the 500 mile range (800 kilometers)  off a single charge, thus making it a more competitive alternative to cars that run on fuel.

The Lithium Air technology works by passing air (oxygen) through a layer of carbon inside the battery, then the oxygen has a chemical reaction with the stored energy, which then dispurses that energy that is stored in the battery. IBM plans to have a working prototype of this technology in 2013, and aims for it to be in commercial production by the year 2020.
The image below shows how the lithium air technology works which includes the chemical reaction that provides the innovative foundation to make this technology possible.

(Click On Image Above To Enlarge)

Image Sourced From: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-57358899-48/ibm-lithium-air-battery-prototype-in-2013-production-in-2020/

The information and data that I researched to help write this post was sourced from: http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/smart_grid/article/battery500.html


Ultimately, the Lithium Air technology will promote a more competitive market in the transport industry, reducing emissions into Earth's atmosphere, as well as advancing technological possiblities that were previously thought to have excessive limitations.
 The technological innovation such as IBM's Battery 500 project, as well as other efficient and practical innovations allow for both corporations, the community and the environment, to receive environmentally sustainable and economically prosperous benefits that will continue to educate and service the global community for many years to come.

Posted by Ryan Maher