Alyssa Lee
Mr. Ippolito
Current Event #8
11/13/18
Temming, Maria. “These Fragile, Futuristic Batteries Run Longer with a Little Oil.” Science News, 8 Nov. 2018, www.sciencenews.org/article/these-fragile-futuristic-batteries-run-longer-little-oil?tgt=nr.
One of the problems that will inevitably characterize our generation’s exploration in science is the seemingly distant problem of global warming and environmental conservation. Although eco-awareness has become more of a significant issue for scientists in the past decade, there are still many deficiencies in finding viable sources of energy and energy efficiency that must be solved. According to the article “These Fragile, Futuristic Batteries Run Longer with a Little Oil” by Maria Temming, mechanical engineer Brandon Hopkins and his colleagues were successful in developing a new type of battery- one that produces an abundance of energy over a longer span of time without the input of so much oil. Composed of “two electrodes, an aluminum anode and a cathode, separated by a liquid called an electrolyte”, the battery is unique in that it is an aluminum-air battery. Aluminum-air batteries need only aluminum and oxygen to run, and besides this favorable aspect, they are usually rather “lightweight and compact”. However, this type of sustainable battery is not a viable alternative for replacing typical batteries due to the rapid degradation of its components (since the metal rusts and oxidizes too quickly to be considered sustainable; the electrolyte also contributes to this process). The typical aluminum-air battery can lose up to 80% of its energy “sitting on a shelf for a month”. To combat this flaw, Hopkins altered the original design by adding a polymer membrane. This membrane is essentially a filtering device- by enabling the transport of electrolyte into the chamber when electricity is being generated and draining the chamber when the battery is no longer producing energy (replacing it with oil that acts as a buffer). This improvement added weeks to the battery’s lifespan (while in constant use). The article also discusses alternative ways in which the batteries could be altered to generate greater power, such as stacking many batteries together or increasing the size of the battery. This battery could be used in drone operation and electric cars; additionally, large-scale batteries could be used to supply power and electricity to both military personnel and average families in remote regions of the world that are separated from the technological hub of large urban cities. This design, if successful, could contribute to a decrease in our heavy reliance on fossil fuels and other unsustainable forms of energy.
There are innumerable benefits to discovering alternate forms of sustainable energy. One of the most intriguing facts concerning this particular battery is that it may be possible to replace standard oil with oils derived through organic and natural pathways, such as corn. With the abundance of corn that exists in our market today (since corn is largely overproduced), we could direct some of this excess produce towards creating economically and environmentally viable sources of energy to power our devices and our technology as a whole. This, in turn, would decrease our over-dependence on unsustainable energy sources. More than reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, developments in this area of energy production also greatly contribute to the lessening of human impact on our environment. It is impossible for humanity to subsist and survive without the use of electrical power and energy- we have built entire societies and countries that are more interconnected than ever before with the advent of electrical and chemical energy. While this fact is indisputable, we as human beings have the power to change the ways in which we obtain energy; we are currently rather inefficient with allocating our energy resources, and it is precisely due to this inefficiency that we have reached an impasse, a sort of turning point in our lives when our unsustainable energy sources are being depleted at an alarmingly rapid rate. Innovations similar to Hopkins’ battery prototype have the potential to revolutionize the ways in which we produce energy. With a minimum reliance on oil, these types of batteries could be the segway that we need in order to transition to a world that is more ecologically and environmentally independent.
The article itself is well-written and exceptionally comprehensive, though it certainly has its flaws just as any piece of journalism does. The description of the process through which the battery generates energy was detailed but written in plain terms, the author defining certain terms such as “electrolyte” and “electrode” where necessary. Additionally, the article explored multiple facets of the experiment, including the specifics of the battery’s operations, opportunities to experiment further, and the possible uses that could be derived from such a product being released to the general public. However, the article lacks in describing the possible faults and errors in the experiment- it fails to acknowledge and/or refute the opposition. What is it that makes this battery so much more likely to succeed than other aluminum-air batteries? What avenues are left for the researchers to take before releasing these batteries for widespread use? Are there possible health detriments? It would be beneficial if the author could include some of the drawbacks of using this battery, such as, perhaps, the price of production or the shortcomings concerning the amount power produced.
Cassidy Mullen
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
Current Event #9
11/27/18
Temming, Maria. “These Fragile, Futuristic Batteries Run Longer with a Little Oil.” Science News, 8 Nov. 2018, www.sciencenews.org/article/these-fragile-futuristic-batteries-run-longer-little-oil?tgt=nr.
Alyssa does many things well when discussing the article “These Fragile, Futuristic Batteries Run Longer with a Little Oil. She introduces her review in an engaging way, acknowledging the idea that global warming and environmental conservation are important issues even though they may be seemingly distant problems. I like that Alyssia starts with this broader statement because it settles the reader in and gives them an idea of the topic being discussed before the Author and the Title of the article are thrown at them. In addition, I appreciate the fact that Alyssa not only describes the specifics of behind the structure of the battery and why it works, but she also explained the specific potential issues with the battery and how they have the ability to be solved in the future. These details really give the reader an understanding of how the battery works. Lastly, I liked how, in her last paragraph, Alyssa included the questions she had when she finished reading the article. Alyssa writes, “What is it that makes this battery so much more likely to succeed than other aluminum-air batteries? What avenues are left for the researchers to take before releasing these batteries for widespread use? Are there possible health detriments?” I think that these questions help the reader understand the topics that the article does not cover, and the potential questions I might have that will not be answered. I like her rhetorical questions because it gives the reader insight into the depth of the article.
Although Alyssa’s article included many good features, there were also a couple of flaws in her review. The first of these flaws being the fact that Alyssa’s summary paragraph is very long. Alyssa could have condensed some of the ideas in her article so that the reader gets a good overview without unnecessary details. As a reader, I might as well read the article instead of a very long review. Because the first paragraph of the review was very long and extensive, I found that the second paragraph repeated many of the same ideas as the first paragraph. Alyssa starts of her summary by explaining the benefits of discovering “alternate forms of sustainable energy” and then talks about the same thing in her second paragraph. I think that Alyssa could have organized her paragraphs more clearly. I think that the section where she says, “...large-scale batteries could be used to supply power and electricity to both military personnel and average families in remote regions of the world that is separated from the technological hub of large urban cities.” could be included in the second paragraph because this is more of a detail that demonstrates the important effect of these batteries on society and not as much of a summary detail. I was also surprised when Alyssa did not mention corn until the second paragraph because I feel like this is an important idea that could be mentioned earlier.
When reading Alyssa’s review, I realized the importance of finding alternate sources of sustainable energy. Prior to reading this review, I had really only thought about the use of electricity versus the use of fossil fuels. There are always alternate approaches and methods that can be used to solve problems, even if you have to create them yourself. I chose to read Alyssa’s review because it provided a new perspective on a topic that is widely discussed and a topic that we have already studied in biology class. I really think that this review will make me consider new solutions and the possibility of creating something new instead of simply limiting myself to the possibilities that others have created.