Self-healing potassium batteries: A cheap, long-life rival to lithium

www.newsatlas.com ^ | March 02, 2020 | Loz Blain

[BuffaloJack]

0.012% of all potassium is radioactive.

[George from New England]

We got alot more fun electrical items around here. Try solar and off grid operation. Plenty to heat up if connections are not tight and solid.
Imagine 6kw from a solar inverter when a well pump or compressor kicks in.
At the 48 volt battery connection that’s 140 amps. 2/0 and 4/0 wire.

[Celtic Conservative]

Well, you wouldn’t want to drink 7UP back in the day. They put lithium in it, much the same as Coke once contained cocaine.

CC

[henkster]

Just so long as they don’t get the Potassium from Uzbekistan. Everyone knows they have inferior Potassium.

[TexasGator]

https://newatlas.com/energy/self-healing-potassium-metal-batteries/

[Conan the Librarian]

We have 3 100 amp battleborns on the sailboat. May one day add a 4th when we can get some more solar installed. Work great! Also cut weight on the boat by about 1/2.

[volunbeer]

Good points. Israel is doing some amazing research!

I recently had a discussion with my oldest child who is interested in nursing or PT for college. I am supportive of course and will put her through her undergrad for a good degree like that (not paying for basketweaving).

In light of her interest in the medical field, I decided to have a discussion with her about what I thought the field would look like in the future. PT and nursing are great fields with a good outlook, but what will the medical field really look like?

I believe the next big thing in medicine will be preventative medicine based on continual monitoring based on your DNA, family history, and risk factors. I am convinced that we will see the explosion of home monitoring where you sign up or enroll and they ship you monthly, quarterly, or bi-annual test kits. You provide a sample (check your oil) and ship it to them and they provide you with a report. Most of the common ailments are easily treated with early diagnosis - especially cancers.

Insurance companies will be all over this as well and may cover such diagnostic methods 100% as it will save them a huge amount of money.

Keep your eye on the industry of preventative medicine.

Eventually, there will be an “app” for that and as the technology improves and becomes cheaper you might be able to purchase your own home monitoring equipment that measures hundreds of data points on your iPhone or android and reports them to your primary care physician! It is not hard to get your baseline over time and your doctor does this for annual physicals now.

This will emerge sooner than we think. Risk assessment, continual monitoring, and suggested dietary/lifestyle changes are all possible now. The key will be the system that emerges to collate all of this data, monitor it, and issue reports and tell you when you need to have your “check engine light” checked by your physician.

I am not much of an investor and have no qualification to give investment advice, but I am so convinced this is true that I will be investing in these companies when this technology becomes clearer in the next few years. The future of medicine is going to look a bit like the computer that monitors the engine of our car and continual diagnostics will be very effective!

[volunbeer]

I know. I have read a bit about it, but I am still wondering about what we are putting in our water tables and our bodies!

[Bob434]

Yup- You are spot on about that- Docs are now focusing more and more on prevention- that is why they issue the ‘wellness exams’ once a year now- would make for good investment for sure- it will really icnrease with innovations in the very near future like you suggest- it’s a good speculative area i think-

[Bob434]

Great idea- Will definitely pick one up- takes only a couple of seconds to check too- which is cool- thanks for the suggestion- putting one in my amazon basket right now0-

[Bob434]

nope no thanks lol- electricity scares the fleas off me- not good around electrical stuff-

[bert]

Well, lithium comes from the ground.

For many years, a local quarry was the source of lithium tied into the sedimentary rock. I think operations ceased because less expensive ore was available else where

[NewJerseyJoe]

P4L

[wastedyears]

Just stick some wires in a few bananas.

[Boogieman]

“On a side note, I am worried about lithium leeching into our groundwater from landfills.”

Well, the upside is that once the lithium leeches into the groundwater you won’t worry about it anymore.

[Jonty30]

They are my favourite threads as well. I like being made aware of what may be possible in the future, even if I think they are lying about hydrocarbons.

They generally make for fun threads.

[Freeport]

Since potassium is literally everywhere, there would be no more monopolies on a limited substance. Its refining is easy and since the electron configuration is similar to Lithium (Same number of electrons available but different shell state.), there’s just as much energy potential at the atomic scale.

Unfortunately, since it’s a larger atom, the charge density will be lower than Lithium.

On the plus side, since it’s literally everywhere, the cost per wall will be way less than Lithium.

[volunbeer]

Well, the upside is that once the lithium leeches into the groundwater you won’t worry about it anymore.

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Ha. Well played sir!

[Covenantor]

Why the term — self-healing ?

Strange as it may seem, it's all explained in the original article.

I know, weird, right?

[Covenantor]

Some of the most amazing of the items you mention have been on the market for a few years already.

That's an under the skin 24/7/365 cardiac monitor with battery life of three years. Transmits data to your smart phone app & cardiologist used to capture elusive arrythmia events. Not consumer grade, since it requires a small incision for implanting.

Here's a consumer grade EKG monitor available in 2 models, a single lead for under $100, or a six lead version for $150. Also works on smart phone app, producing pdf records that can be emailed to your doc, or printed out most anywhere.

Mine can fit in my wallet....amazing stuff!