Toyota Finds a New Way to Produce Rechargeable Batteries – Magnesium is the key element

MANILA: Seems like it's all about technology these days which is ruling the news all over the automobile market. It has just been a day when Honda announced its achievement on fetching a patent on its latest variable displacement engine and now Toyota has something to flaunt on the same lines. Well, it's not about the entire engine technology like Honda, which Toyota is busy flaunting but a result of the latest research at the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA) which can help battery to run longer. Sounds interesting, isn't it?

Right now lithium is used in the rechargeable batteries not only in cars but also in gadgets like mobiles, tablets and watches. But then, these batteries come with some disadvantages considering the fact that lithium is not stable in air and carries a high possibility of combustion when exposed. Though lithium batteries are considered to be the best till date, there are researches going on to design and develop better batteries which are safer and more reliable than the conventional lithium ones. Though, a mix of lithium and graphite has been experimented to increase the density but then the balancing was too tricky to handle it every time. Seems like Toyota has cracked the code and found the secret of longevity and safety in magnesium. Here magnesium comes as a savior which can be used as a replacement to lithium making the batteries more stable in the atmosphere and enhance the potential. Magnesium has properties of hydrogen storage and an electrode based on this bond can serve the purpose. So, the crux of this technology would be better stability, high safety, and super long consumption.

The credit for this research goes to Rana Mohtadi – Toyota Principal Scientist and Chemical Engineer. In her words ,”We have finally found the material that can be used in hydrogen storage and we made it practical and very competitive for magnesium battery chemistry”. With this formal statement, Toyota has made it clear to bring a whole new revolution in the automobile technology. Though a hitch is still there and the company might take a decade or so in practically using it, but gladly they thought and researched in this field. We are awaiting Toyota!

Also Read: Time for a Safety Lesson - By Toyota Motor Corporation