Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5
I'm a chemistry pessimist. The low hanging fruit of chemical reaction knowledge has already been discovered. The law of diminishing returns says that giant breakthroughs will become less common, and yield less improvement than previous discoveries.
|
This isn't a chemistry breakthrough, it's a mechanical breakthrough.
Quote:
|
These huge advances stem from a brand new cathode and anode structure, pioneered by the University of Illinois researchers. In essence, a standard li-ion battery normally has a solid, two-dimensional anode made of graphite and a cathode made of a lithium salt. The new Illinois battery, on the other hand, has a porous, three-dimensional anode and cathode.
|
I agree that cost is probably going to be a primary factor. The cellphone addicts will pay the initial costs of getting the technology viable; the Apples of the world won't be able to resist a battery the thickness of a credit card that charges in seconds.
And let's face it. The prospect of an electric car that can be recharged - even partially - in the time it takes to fill a tank with gasoline or diesel - is a game changer. Infrastructure issues are still there, and I hear ya on the safety aspects of rapid charging, but the fact is that people are setting themselves on fire at gas stations daily. Being safer than a gas pump should not be terribly difficult.