The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation-sponsored Chemistry Shorts® series released its newest film, “Energy to Spare,” which uses exploding batteries, bowling showdowns, and electrifying animations to give a primer on how batteries work and explore how scientists are revolutionizing battery technology for the renewable energy age.
Current technology relies heavily on lithium-ion batteries, which are in everything from electric vehicles to laptops to cellphones. But lithium is rare, which can make it expensive, and mining it can take a toll on local communities. Lithium-ion batteries are also prone to catching on fire, making them a safety risk.
UCLA scientist Maher El-Kady describes work on one promising solution: zinc-ion batteries. These batteries have many advantages over lithium-ion batteries. They use water instead of toxic solvents, are much safer, and have the potential to store more energy. Zinc is also far more common on our planet, making it cheaper and more environmentally friendly. This new science could help us leave lithium-ion batteries in the gutter, rolling towards better batteries and a more sustainable future.
“Energy to Spare” is targeted towards high school and college students and can be used as a starting point for discussions around battery function and composition, sustainable chemistry, renewable energy, electricity, and more. A full lesson plan with an experiment to accompany the film is available on the Chemistry Shorts website.
The Chemistry Shorts series spotlights the positive impact of chemistry on modern life as scientists work to solve important problems and create new opportunities that benefit humanity. See all of the films and lesson plans in this series at chemistryshorts.org and keep updated on new films and resources by following Chemistry Shorts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
The Chemistry Shorts series is funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.