UQ Technology Powers Up Greener Alternative to Lithium Ion in Brisbane Manufacturing Deal

Source: Sally Wood

Faster-charging and more sustainable batteries with a life up to three times greater than lithium ion were recently developed at the University of Queensland (UQ).

The Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG) is a Brisbane-based company. the company will begin manufacturing battery prototypes for watches, phones, laptops, electric vehicles and grid storage under a research agreement with scientists from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). Researchers devised technology to turn graphene into more efficient electrodes for powering batteries. The technology has been patented and licensed by the UQ commercialisation company, UniQuest. AIBN Director Professor Alan Rowan said the university was delighted to partner with GMG to translate scientific ideas into commercial solutions through the development of more efficient and greener batteries. “After several years of dedicated research into improving the aluminium ion battery, we are excited to be at the phase of developing commercial prototypes for more sustainable, faster-charging batteries,” Professor Rowan said. “Testing showed rechargeable graphene aluminium ion batteries had a battery life of up to three times that of current leading lithium-ion batteries, and higher power density meant they charged up to 70 times faster.” “The batteries are rechargeable for a larger number of cycles without deteriorating performance and are easier to recycle, reducing potential for harmful metals to leak into the environment,” Professor Rowan explained. UniQuest specialises in industry-university collaborations, global technology transfer, and provides international access to UQ’s leading expertise, facilities, and intellectual property. Across its 30-year lifespan, UQ’s 7,000 researchers have helped UniQuest to collaborate with commercial companies on a global scale. Industry offerings from the program, and other UQ research projects are made available through the online eShop. UniQuest Chief Executive Officer Dr Dean Moss also explained the benefits of this research, like how the aluminium ion battery with graphene electrodes could transform the existing rechargeable battery market, which is currently dominated by lithium-ion. “Lithium-ion batteries demand the extraction of rare earth materials using large amounts of water and are processed with chemicals that can potentially harm the environment.” “This project has real potential to provide the market with a more environmentally friendly and efficient alternative,” he said. GMG Head Scientist, Dr Ashok Nanjundan, said the project could also deliver farreaching benefits for energy storage. “This project is a great example of academia and business working together,” he said. “The current recyclability of batteries is highly problematic due to their chemical properties and the stockpiling of dead batteries presents a large and looming environmental and public safety concern.” The batteries are also considered a safer alternative because they do not use lithium, which has been known to cause fires in some mobile phone devices. Lithium is also known to cause explosions in e-cigarettes and hoverboards, which resulted in severe burns to the users of such products. Craig Nicol is the Chief Executive Officer of GMG, with the company recently being listed on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada. He said the use of local raw materials to manufacture battery cells at a competitive cost to replace imported lithium-ion cells is a “massive opportunity”. He explained that the partnership is a win for GMG and Australia, and will help reduce supply chain risks and create local jobs. “We’re excited about developing the commercial prototypes followed by initial production here in Australia – at a location yet to be determined,” he said. UQ’s research team was awarded $390,000, over three years, in 2020, to develop the graphene aluminium ion technology from the Australian Research Council’s Linkage Project in 2020. The breakthrough research forms part of the university’s suite of ongoing projects, which cover engineering, the environment, medicine, e-commerce and infrastructure.

Credit: University of Queensland (UQ).