{"id":117503,"date":"2021-02-04T10:01:35","date_gmt":"2021-02-04T15:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=117503"},"modified":"2021-02-08T10:56:28","modified_gmt":"2021-02-08T15:56:28","slug":"ucf-developed-seawater-battery-is-safer-for-people-and-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-developed-seawater-battery-is-safer-for-people-and-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF-Developed Seawater Battery is Safer for People and Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"

University of Central Florida researchers have helped develop a new, seawater-based battery that\u2019s safer for humans and the environment than the fire-prone lithium-ion batteries that power everything from cell phones to electric cars.<\/p>\n

In a study published recently in the journal Nature Communications<\/em><\/a>, UCF NanoScience Technology Center<\/a> assistant professor Yang Yang and co-authors demonstrated the ability of the new design to be both durable and high performing.<\/p>\n

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it\u2019s important to work toward developing batteries with environmentally friendly and nonflammable components, as Americans throw billions of batteries into the trash every year.<\/p>\n

These batteries contain toxic metals and solvents that can leak from buried batteries and contaminate soil and groundwater.<\/p>\n

The new seawater battery UCF helped develop is a step in the environmentally friendly direction as it replaces the toxic solvent that current lithium-ion batteries contain with benign seawater.<\/p>\n

Current lithium-ion battery solvents are also flammable, making the batteries a fire hazard if they are damaged or overheat. They can also cause fires in landfills when improperly disposed there.<\/p>\n