Nanotech-Enabled New Energy Storage Paradigm: High Energy Density Pumpable Liquid Battery*

Today’s fossil fuel production and energy distribution infrastructure is decidedly linear, consumptive, and carbon emissive.  Oil is pumped from the ground, refined into fuel, shipped to distribution then fueling stations, and combusted to extract the latent energy. Moving from a fossil fuel-centric infrastructure to a cleaner electric powered infrastructure has long been a goal for many.  Currently this movement largely relies on the ability to store electricity from renewable sources in solid battery banks. The efforts, have progressed slowly over the years due to high battery costs, recharging time, safety concerns, and infrastructure challenges. A new paradigm is needed.

To this end, in this talk we would like to present recent advancements in our innovative approach to energy storage that we have been developing at Influit Energy over the last decade. Our technology combines the attributes of rechargeable solid batteries, capacitors and pumpable flow batteries, and is enabled by advancements in nanotechnology. We have developed high energy density electrochemical rechargeable liquid fuel - nanoelectrofuel (NEFs) that has high loadings of solid nanoscale battery materials (cathode and anode) and low viscosity. Use of water-based electrolytes and earth-abundant materials offers a cheaper, safer and environmentally friendly, non-combustible, and non-polluting rechargeable energy storage.

The liquid format of our NEF flow battery can engage all the existing gasoline infrastructure: be pumped; be stored in a charged state ready for use; quickly refuel a tank; be used in different devices; be recharged by any source producing electricity such as wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, and even fossil if necessary. At scale, this technology achieves a higher system energy density than Li-ion batteries, while offering increased safety, flexibility and agility to civilian and military applications.