We live in a world where technology is playing an ever more significant role in our lives. Portable electronics go with us everywhere. They are getting more powerful with each passing year, and with it, grows the need for portable power.
These trends have put battery R&D at the forefront of our scientific frontiers. The financial investment that has taken place has led to the development of numerous new battery products and initiatives that is causing a technological revolution to take place; now.
Here are just some of the developments that have occurred this year alone.
- Zinc-manganese batteries Research by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has led to what PNNL Laboratory Fellow Jun Liu describes as a, “more viable solution for large-scale energy storage than the lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries used to support the grid today.”
- The development of rechargeable sodium-carbon dioxide batteries at Nankai University in China which “can theoretically store 10 times as much energy weight for weight as commercial lithium–ion batteries.”
- The use of gold nanowires suspended in an electrolyte gel to get a better performing rechargeable battery; one that can ‘keep working efficiently over 200,000 charge cycles’.
Clearly times are changing in the battery industry, and no one knows this better than Norbert Maleschitz, Vice President of Research & Development EMEA at Exide Technologies. As well as a bachelor degree in chemical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration, Maleschitz was the 2012 recipient of the International Lead Award from the ILA.
In a recent interview with the hosts of the upcoming CIEX 2016 conference that will be held on Sep 28-29 in Frankfurt, Maleschitz gave his views on the importance of the industry. He said that, “Battery energy storage plays a vital role in our industry and will become even more important in the future. It will be especially significant in the growing segment of energy storage for automotive and industrial use, such as Hybrid Cars and Renewable Energy Storage.”
While Maleschitz notes that, “lead acid battery technology is pretty matured,” he believes that “combining this technology with novel materials of carbon, like expanded graphite or carbon nanostructures, does show a significant improvement in performance leading to innovative solutions for current and future requirements.” As a result, “battery energy storage will be an important contributor to our future wealth. Combining matured technology with new innovative materials can lead to excellent solutions to address current and future challenges.”
When asked why he is attending the CIEX 2016 conference, Maleschitz explained how the event was ideal for those wanting, “To get the newest insights into innovations in the chemical industry and also meet and network with other people to exchange ideas and thoughts about the future challenges in both the industry and society as a whole.”
With so many new developments in a vital and expanding industry sector it can be difficult to stay up to date in what will become the one of the biggest growing chemical markets of the future. To stay ahead of the curve it is increasingly important to listen to experts like Maleschitz, who is a speaker at CIEX 2016, or to meet other like-minded R&D experts across the chemical value chain to discuss the challenges and opportunities that the industry holds.
Join us at CIEX 2016 and learn from over 40 hand-picked client and supplier speakers from Fortune 500 companies including Henkel, L’Oreal, Dow Chemical, Johnson Matthey, Lonza, Covestro, Evonik, Swarovski, Natura, Dupont, Ineos, DSM, McBride and many more!
CIEX is created for R&D and Innovation experts from the consumer, industrial and specialty chemical sectors. By bringing together all players in the chemical value chain, we create a unique platform for participants to learn, exchange ideas and connect with potential partners.
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