A new high-performance Lithium-water (Li-water) rechargeable battery technology has been developed for the energy storage and mobile device markets. According to co-developers Global Technology Systems, Inc. (GTS) and Dr. Boris Tsenter, the new Lithium-water technology will be safer, with longer run times and lower environmental impact than traditional Lithium-ion battery technology. The technology is expected to be available in 2020.
“Conventional Lithium-ion batteries have the highest energy density available for commercial applications,” said Dr. Tsenter. “Unfortunately, they are notorious for their volatility and unpredictability. With the new Lithium-water technology there is no ionization of gasses – just generation of oxygen during charging, and hydrogen during discharging. It is similar to water electrolysis. Because there are no metal oxides on the positive electrode, the battery is safer has longer run times, and has a lower environmental impact.”
“Rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries are the most powerful and widely used batteries today. But because of their volatility, they present significant safety risks, resulting in restrictions on 
usage, storage and shipping,” commented GTS CEO Larry Murray. “Our R&D team worked with Dr. Tsenter, a world-renowned battery and energy technologist, to develop this new Lithium-water technology that will disrupt the energy storage markets by reducing or even eliminating the volatility and safety risks, while cutting costs for portable and mobile device applications.”
The new rechargeable Li-water cells are expected to have significant performance advantages over current Lithium-ion batteries. The technology will be integrated into GTS products as soon as development and field testing are completed.
Dr. Tsenter, a resident of Atlanta, holds PhD and Doctor of Science degrees in electrochemistry and mathematics from the St. Petersburg Technological University in Russia. He received the highest award for technology achievement from the Russian government for his pioneering work on developing energy sources for space satellites.
Dr. Tsenter holds more than 100 patents and has authored numerous books and publications on electrochemistry, batteries, fuel cells and energy conversion. His invention of the rechargeable nickel–hydrogen battery (NiH2) is notable due to its extraordinarily long life: the cells handle more than 20,000 charge cycles with very high energy efficiency. NiH2 batteries are the choice for the storage of electrical energy in satellites and space probes such as the Hubble Space Telescope.
Patents have been filed for this new Li-water battery technology. Licensing and partnering opportunities will be available in the near future.
Filed Under: Batteries, Battery types, lithium-ion