Green Giant may soon be sending more cans of corn to Washington State University — but not to the cafeteria.
Maize protein is being researched by experts there for its potential to help lithium-sulfur batteries jump some hurdles that have held the tech back from widespread adoption, according to research summaries from the university and ScienceDirect. If successful, the work could provide lighter batteries for electric vehicles and other devices.
"The results are excellent," professor Katie Zhong, a study corresponding author, said in the school's news release.
The corn protein, combined with a common plastic, improved the performance of a "button-sized" battery, which held a charge for more than 500 cycles. The experts said this was a big improvement compared to sulfur packs without the corn-based separator.
Lithium-sulfur is an alternative chemistry to common lithium-ion packs. It is environmentally friendly and stores more energy per pound, according to Washington State.
Sulfur is used to make the cathode, one of two electrodes in a battery. Lithium-ion packs use expensive cobalt and manganese, among other metals. Sulfur is cheaper and easier to acquire.
The main holdback has been a short lifespan. Sulfur can also leak into the wrong parts of the battery cell. And metal, branchlike formations called dendrites can grow in the lithium side of the battery. They create a short circuit risk, according to the experts.
Amino acids in corn protein can form a great middle protective layer inside cells. The separator solved some of the noted problems, as well as improved ion movement. Plastic was added to provide a flatter shape, per the release.
"Corn protein would make for a good battery material because it's abundant, natural, and sustainable," professor Jin Liu, a corresponding author on the paper, said.
Other sulfur breakthroughs are using unusual ingredients, as well. In fact, corn might be the least peculiar among some recent examples, including cannabis. In Argentina, experts are incorporating cow hair into lithium-sulfur chemistry, as another odd example.
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Researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia have developed a pack that can charge in less than five minutes. That's a big win for laptops and smartphones that can take an hour or more to recharge, researchers there said.
A version that includes all the perks could be a huge advancement toward a battery-powered future.
For their part, lithium-ion packs have been setting a great, reliable pace. Cox Automotive reported that almost 300,000 new EVs were bought in the U.S. during the first quarter of the year. That's an 11.4% year-over-year jump, per the report.
The mostly lithium-ion-powered rides are charging at ever-faster speeds. Ranges are increasing each year, too. The model year 2024 median range is 283 miles, according to the U.S. Energy Department. Another DOE report noted that each EV that replaces a gas guzzler prevents thousands of pounds of heat-trapping air pollution annually. The tailpipe gases contribute to our planet's warming and are a health risk, per medical reports.
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At Washington State, the experts plan to further study corn protein to see which amino acids work best to solve dendrite and other problems.
"This work demonstrated a simple and efficient approach to preparing a functional separator for enhancing the battery's performance," Zhong said in the release.
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