batteries of the future

plant root used to make eco friendly batteries

Researchers have found an alternative to the metal ores used in the electrodes of lithium-ion batteries. The new substance is non-toxic and sustainable it uses purpurin, a red/yellow dye extracted from the root of the plant that has been used for coloring clothes for at least 3,500 years – meaning the substance can simply be grown instead of mined. Currently, lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO₂) is the material of choice for forming the cathode in Li-ion batteries. However, mining the cobalt and combining it with lithium at high temperatures to form the cathode is an expensive energy-intensive process, and ineffective. Dr. Arava Leela Mohana Reddy from Rice University says that for every kilowatt-hour of energy in a Li-ion battery, production and recycling pumps an estimated 72 kg (159 lb) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. A American army Laboratory, found that purpurin and other biologically based color molecules offer great potential as a more environmentally friendly alternative. This is due to the carbonyl and hydroxyl groups in the molecules that are adept at passing electrons back and forth.

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