Dr. Vasily Artemov has been fascinated by thunderstorms since childhood: they are difficult to predict and release enormous amounts of energy – all in an environment almost entirely made up of water vapor. Thunderstorms not only sparked Artemov’s early interest in physical phenomena, but are also, in a way, the foundation for his current research project: Artemov is investigating how the special properties of water at interfaces can be used to develop sustainable and safe batteries made from natural raw materials. “The more batteries we use daily, the greater the risk of damage and accidents,” explains Artemov about his motivation. “That’s why we urgently need safe alternatives.”
Clay, Water and Carbon – the Ingredients of the BlueBattery
With the BlueBattery, Artemov is pursuing an unusual approach: the battery is to consist of little more than clay, water, and graphene, a specific form of carbon. These three basic components are of natural origin and available worldwide in abundance. To laypeople, that may initially sound unpromising in terms of energy potential, but Artemov is convinced that this is a misconception. Clay, for example, has astonishing properties. “I used to think clay wasn’t a good material – it’s basically ‘dirt’,” Artemov says with a smile. “But we discovered that clay can be thoroughly cleaned and can store incredibly large amounts of water. The third component is graphene, a material derived from graphite that is extremely light and flexible, yet stronger than steel. Above all, it conducts electricity and heat exceptionally well. “Batteries made from these materials are not only safer but also significantly more environmentally friendly than conventional ones,” emphasizes Artemov. To advance his research, he moved with his family to Hamburg last year and is establishing his own research group at TU Hamburg in the new excellence cluster ‘BlueMat.’
The New Cluster of Excellence: BlueMat – Water-driven Materials
Under the umbrella of BlueMat, all research projects share one goal: to develop sustainable, eco-friendly materials – always involving water. Water causes materials to acquire completely new properties – for example, changing their color – or to develop new functions such as improved insulation characteristics. The research findings open many possibilities for industrial innovation. The BlueBattery project belongs to the cluster’s research area of ‘Energy Materials.’
Artemov has even more reason to be pleased because the Joachim Herz Foundation has just approved additional funding. This gives the project excellent conditions for rapid progress. “We hope to present a commercial prototype of the BlueBattery within three to five years and then enter the testing phase,” says Artemov. “The development of lithium-ion batteries took almost 50 years, but today we want and are able to move much faster.”
Read the full article in the current issue of spektrum (in German)
