Battery experts agree that batteries of the 18650 type are really popular right now. They usually talk about lithium-ion variants, but there’s always the chance that competitors might come along and change everything. At least, that’s what a team of brilliant engineers responsible for an amazing new concept are hoping for!
Associated with Group1, they have designed a potassium-ion battery. Such was envisioned in the 18650 form factor, which could find a number of applications in everyday life. Potassium ions are the charge carriers in this case and are an alternative to the extremely popular lithium ions.
We are talking about a design that is 65 millimeters long and 18 millimeters in diameter. As the developers of the new type of battery – which is the first of its kind anywhere in the world – argue, their product is highly economically viable and could spur the development of sustainable, environmentally friendly technologies.
Tests conducted have confirmed that rumors of the high performance of these batteries were not exaggerated. On the contrary: the results of these experiments exceeded expectations, which means that potassium-ion batteries of the 18650 type are performing even better than expected.
The 18650 potassium-ion battery could be an interesting alternative to the extremely popular lithium-ion variants
Thanks to their high service life, the described batteries can be charged and discharged many times. Operating at a rated voltage of 3.7V means compatible operation with commonly used devices and systems. It will not be necessary to specially adapt these machines to new battery variants, and this is a very important issue.
The energy density of these potassium-ion batteries is 160-180 Wh/kg. Such a result is comparable to replacements currently on the market, such as lithium-iron phosphate. In practice, this means the ability to store large amounts of energy per weight of these devices. High longevity and great discharge capabilities are other pluses cited by the developers.
