Thursday, January 31, 2008
Rubbery salt batteries
are salt-like materials that are fluid at relatively low temperatures and are made entirely from positive and negative ions.
The first ionic liquids were highly corrosive materials that had limited use, but, in the 1990s, researchers began to develop less corrosive versions that were stable at room temperature in air and which are today used as solvents and lubricants.
Now Mark Grinstaff
from Boston University and a colleague have developed ionic liquids that are both viscous and elastic.
By attaching a long hydrocarbon chain to one of the two ions in the liquid, Grinstaff has been able to develop a range of ionic substances with rubber-like qualities. He says they could be used as electrolytes for oddly shaped batteries to power small gadgets, as self-healing lubricants for micro-scale devices in satellites, or as novel solvents.
Read the full rubber salt
patent application.Justin Mullins, New Scientist consultant