Use waste glass to develop high-performance battery materials

　　Although waste recycling has been ongoing, countless discarded glass bottles still enter the landfill every year. This attracted the attention of researchers. Can the silica in the glass bottle be used to produce high-purity silicon nanoparticles and make rechargeable batteries?

　　Recently, the University of California, Riverside, conducted a study to make lithium battery negative electrodes with environmentally friendly materials. The researchers used recycled glass to create a rechargeable battery containing a silicon-based negative electrode. Compared with the carbon-based negative electrode of a traditional lithium battery, the silicon-based negative electrode can store more electricity. However, the performance of this type of battery is not stable enough and will expand and contract during charging and discharging. However, shrinking silicon particles into nanoparticles can solve the problem.

　　It takes three steps to make a nano-silicon-based negative electrode. Firstly, the glass is crushed and ground into a fine white powder. Then magnesium is added to the powder and heated to cause a chemical reaction. Finally, a layer of carbon is coated on the outside of the resulting mixture. Silicon nanoparticles are more stable and can also improve the battery's storage capacity. The researchers said that the chemical reaction cost is very low, they have applied for a patent, and then put this battery into production.

　　"The first thing we used was the waste glass from the landfill. The rechargeable battery produced can store more power and charge faster. Compared with the button batteries on the market, the performance is more stable," University of California, Riverside, Materials Science An engineering graduate said, “Therefore, we already have promising alternatives for the next generation of lithium batteries.”