My PhD was on getting kaolin out of water suspension - at the University of Cape Town. I led a Materials Group at CSIR in South Africa that secured global patents in Lithium battery technology in the 1990s (pretty early). Subsequently had a nuclear career in South Africa and Australia.
Thank you for a very good article.
The one downside of Li is its toxicity when children swallow damaged button cells - it replaces K (potassium) that regulates heartbeat - leading to arrythmia and often death. I would like to see sealed Li battery disposal containers on the shelves of supermarkets and a closed disposal cycle. Also, advice to people on Li bicycle batteries and not charging these in homes. The fires cannot be extinguished with water - it is actually an accelerant. We should be happy living with Li batteries but treat them with respect like medicines and ammonia.
I appreciate your activism and leadership. Thanks.
These articles are so good. Lithium will be needed but I have heard more convincing arguments against EVs in their current level of development than Atkinson's. According to Bjorn Lomborg lifecycle assessments of 2/3rds less carbon and fairly equal costs assume EVs are driven twice as many kms as they actually are. The CO2 saving is still significant but the cost per saving isn't - the resources should preferentially go to other solutions at this time
My PhD was on getting kaolin out of water suspension - at the University of Cape Town. I led a Materials Group at CSIR in South Africa that secured global patents in Lithium battery technology in the 1990s (pretty early). Subsequently had a nuclear career in South Africa and Australia.
Thank you for a very good article.
The one downside of Li is its toxicity when children swallow damaged button cells - it replaces K (potassium) that regulates heartbeat - leading to arrythmia and often death. I would like to see sealed Li battery disposal containers on the shelves of supermarkets and a closed disposal cycle. Also, advice to people on Li bicycle batteries and not charging these in homes. The fires cannot be extinguished with water - it is actually an accelerant. We should be happy living with Li batteries but treat them with respect like medicines and ammonia.
I appreciate your activism and leadership. Thanks.
These articles are so good. Lithium will be needed but I have heard more convincing arguments against EVs in their current level of development than Atkinson's. According to Bjorn Lomborg lifecycle assessments of 2/3rds less carbon and fairly equal costs assume EVs are driven twice as many kms as they actually are. The CO2 saving is still significant but the cost per saving isn't - the resources should preferentially go to other solutions at this time