(Grist) A group of Swedish researchers just discovered an unconventional way to give new life to rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries: with pine resin and alfalfa seeds.
This has green implications beyond the materials' woodsy roots. Lithium-ion batteries help power everything from iPhones to Nissan Leafs (Leaves?). And demand for the batteries from automobile manufacturers could explode up to 400 percent in the next six years. Current methods for recycling Li-ion batteries are energy-intensive and require toxic materials. So yeah, giving the mass-produced batteries new charge with sustainable materials could have a huge impact.
An article in Science Nordic explains the so-called "Achilles' heel" of lithium batteries that inspired the project:
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