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Meanwhile, back at the lab, the MIT researchers are continuing to explore other chemistries for the core of the liquid battery. Indeed, Sadoway says that his team has already developed an alternative design that offers even lower operating temperatures, more stored energy, lower cost, and a longer lifetime. Given the general lack of knowledge about the properties and potential uses of liquid metals, Sadoway believes there could still be major discoveries in the field. The results of their experiments “kicked open the doors to a whole bunch of other choices that we’ve made,” says Sadoway. “It was really cool.”
Page 6 of 6A Battery Made of Molten Metals
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Ambri researchers are now tackling one final engineering challenge: developing a low-cost, practical seal that will stop air from leaking into each individual cell, thus enabling years of high-temperature operation. Once the needed seals are developed and tested, battery production will begin. The researchers plan to deliver prototypes for field testing in several locations, including Hawaii, where sunshine is abundant but power generation still relies on burning expensive diesel fuel. One site is the Pearl Harbor naval base on Oahu. “It’s unsettling that our military bases rely on the civilian power grid,” says Sadoway. “If that grid goes down, the base must power up diesel generators to fill the gap. So the base can be without power for about 15 minutes, which is probably enough time for some major damage to be done.” The new battery could play a key role in preventing such an outcome.
