Cayrex

In the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7fVp..., I test a VANADion 80 ion-exchange membrane in a static zinc-iodine battery cell. I was especially interested in the efficiency and whether it could withstand zinc dendrites.

In the video, I perform two tests. In the first test, I use only the VANADion membrane, while in the second test I use a composite membrane made from the VANADion membrane and my dendrite-blocking separator, which I developed for my static APC battery.

For each Zn-I2 test cell, I perform 40 cycles and compare the results at the end. In the first picture, you can see the data from the test cell using the VANADion/APC composite membrane, while the second picture shows the data from the test cell using only the VANADion membrane. In the third picture, both membranes are shown after cycling.

If you’d like to support my research and future projects:
👉 www.patreon.com/c/cayrex2

#battery #ionexchangemembrane #zincdendrite #zinciodinebattery #zincbattery

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5 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 20

Cayrex

I'm preparing new videos in which I'll test some commercial vs. homemade membranes in a battery (it will be a small flow battery) to see what I can get out of them. But I also want to try the VANADion membrane — a composite separator with a thin Nafion coating on a porous support — in a static zinc–iodine battery cell first.

I was testing the VANADion ion-exchange membrane in a static Zn–I₂ battery for 40 cycles. For the first test I used a pristine VANADion membrane and watched the cell die at cycle 18, killed by zinc dendrites bridging the separator.

The post-mortem photos (left column) show exactly that — the membrane surface is blanketed in bright zinc deposits, dense enough to puncture through and connect both electrodes.

So I tried something I'd been developing on the side: a novel dendrite blocker, originally designed for my APC zinc battery. I applied it to a new piece of the VANADion membrane and re-ran the same test under the same conditions.
Result: clean surface, no shorting, and the cell completed all 40 target cycles

Same membrane. Same chemistry. Just no dendrites.

#BatteryResearch #ZincBatteries #EnergyStorage #Electrochemistry #ZincIodineBattery #Dendrites #IonExchangeMembrane #BatteryInnovation #MaterialsScience #Cleantech #RenewableEnergy #ResearchAndDevelopment

2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 40

Cayrex

In my new video on the Members channel and Patreon (www.patreon.com/posts/diy-cathode-for-157073940), I make a cathode host material for zinc-bromine static batteries.

Bromine is one of the key materials used in zinc-bromine batteries. During charging, bromide ions in the electrolyte are converted into elemental bromine at the positive electrode, storing energy in a chemical form. But bromine is also one of the biggest challenges of this battery technology.

Pure bromine is toxic, corrosive, and volatile. It produces dangerous reddish-brown vapors that irritate and burn the lungs, eyes, and skin. It also corrodes materials inside the battery and contributes to self-discharge.

To solve these problems, zinc-bromine batteries use several safety and stabilization methods. One of the most important is the use of bromine complexing agents, such as TBAB or MEP. These chemicals bind bromine into more stable compounds, reducing vapor formation and improving safety. Porous carbon cathodes are also used to absorb and store bromine inside their structure, reducing bromine mobility and improving overall battery performance.

Bromine remains a dangerous substance — but with the right engineering, it becomes a powerful tool for energy storage.

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 26

Cayrex

Guys, we just hit 20K subscribers! 🚀
This is absolutely awesome — thank you all for your incredible support.
Let’s keep growing and pushing forward together! 😉

1 month ago | [YT] | 34

Cayrex

My next try to make a Magnetohydrodynamic flow battery. But this time with a bit different cell design.

I didn't get exactly what I expected, but it's still cool what I got.

Have a nice day 😉

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1 month ago | [YT] | 53

Cayrex

Good to know, if you working with paints. Common Paint Defects & How to Avoid Them.
Here you can experiment with my conductive paint recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVoVi...

I wish you a nice Saturday ;)

2 months ago | [YT] | 7

Cayrex

A video about Pump free flow battery based on magnetohydrodynamic drive coming soon!

2 months ago | [YT] | 64

Cayrex

Finally, today I get this special high preformance composite ion exchange membrane. In basic the membrane was designet for vanadium redox flow batteries which offers better energy efficiency compared to the Nafion 115, long cycle, high density and so on. But I want to try it in some zinc based and also in my batteries aswell.

Are you ready?

3 months ago | [YT] | 66

Cayrex

15-Minute Charging is the new "Myth". And the battery is paying the price.


Reading many brochures where they it says, boasting "0-80% in 15 mins" makes me nervous. 😁


Why? Because Physics doesn't care about marketing slogans.


​We are pushing current Lithium-ion chemistry to its absolute limits. When you dump energy at 3C or 4C rates into a standard cell, especially in our climate, you aren't just charging it—you are stressing it.

​
The biggest enemy isn't heat anymore; it's Lithium Plating.

While the customer enjoys the coffee during a 15-minute charge, the anode inside their battery is struggling to absorb ions fast enough. This leads to metallic lithium build-up, which silently kills the State of Health (SOH) and increases internal resistance over time.


​
Are we designing EVs to last 8 years, or just to look good in a 30-second commercial?



​Until solid-state or advanced silicon anodes become mainstream, normalizing ultra-fast charging for daily use is a dangerous game with consumer trust.

​Fast charging is a necessity, yes. But selling it as a daily habit without warning about degradation is misleading.
(J. B.)



"Lithium plating is a major degradation mechanism in lithium-ion batteries that occurs when lithium ions arrive at the graphite anode faster than they can intercalate, causing metallic lithium to deposit on the surface—especially during fast charging or at low temperatures. This process leads to rapid loss of active lithium, capacity fade, and an increased risk of internal short circuits and safety hazards, making it one of the key limitations of high-rate charging in modern Li-ion cells."

#BatteryEngineering #EVTruth #LithiumIon #FastCharging #BMS #ElectricVehicles #AutomotiveTrends #EngineeringEthics #battery #xEV #Liion

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3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 26