Using Sound Waves to Triple Battery Life and Reduce E-Waste – COOL HUNTING®

Researchers at Melbourne, Australia’s RMIT University developed an acoustic device that can remove performance-inhibiting rust from batteries, tripling their lifespan and, hopefully, reducing how frequently they are discarded. The researchers used MXene, a nano-material that holds promise as an alternative to lithium batteries, yet is prone to rust. They discovered that high-frequency sound waves cause the MXene battery to vibrate with enough force for the rust to fall off. Battery longevity is crucial to the environment as 74 million metric tons of electronic waste are expected to end up in landfills globally by 2030, according to the UN’s E-Waste Monitor. The new method opens opportunities to improve the use of technology while decreasing pollution. Learn more about it at The New Daily.

Image courtesy of RMIT University