Non-Degrading Electrodes Opens Doors for Wind and Solar Power

Oct-26-12 Researchers at Stanford had developed a grid-scale battery with electrodes that don’t degrade, which could make renewable energy sources such as solar and wind a more viable alternative.

Battery electrodes usually degrade over time as they are hit by the ions that move back and forth within the battery cell. To help eliminate this degradation, the Stanford team created the new battery by coating the negatively charged cathode in hexacyanoferrate and using anodes made of activated carbon and a conductive polymer. The electrodes are then sandwiched in a liquid solution of positively charged potassium ions, which can move between the anode and cathode without causing damage.

The components of new battery are inexpensive and commercially available, meaning the technology could be used on a large scale to back up wind and solar power sources.

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