A high-energy-density Mars battery designed for long-term missions

by Clarence Oxford

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Sep 30, 2024

The extreme environmental conditions on Mars, with its 95.32% carbon dioxide atmosphere and significant temperature fluctuations, pose major challenges for energy storage systems on the planet. To overcome these hurdles, Prof. Peng Tan and Dr. Xu Xiao from the University of Science and Technology of China have developed a new type of Mars battery, which uses the Martian atmosphere as a fuel source during discharge.

This innovative battery system minimizes weight, making it ideal for space missions. Once discharged, the battery can be recharged using solar energy collected from the Martian surface, enabling repeated use. The researchers also simulated Martian surface conditions, including wide temperature ranges, to create a system capable of consistent power output.

The Mars battery operates efficiently even at low temperatures, such as 0 C, where it achieves an energy density of up to 373.9 Wh kg-1 and offers a charge/discharge cycle life of 1,375 hours, providing approximately two months of continuous operation on Mars. Its functionality hinges on the formation and breakdown of lithium carbonate, with trace gases like oxygen and carbon monoxide in the Martian atmosphere acting as catalysts to enhance carbon dioxide conversion.

The team enhanced the reaction efficiency by designing integrated electrodes and a folded cell structure, maximizing the reaction area with the Martian atmosphere. Increasing the cell size to 4 cm, they further improved the battery’s energy density to 765 Wh kg-1 and 630 Wh l-1 in a pouch format.

According to the researchers, this development represents an essential proof-of-concept for the application of Mars batteries in the planet’s environment. They plan to continue researching solid-state Mars batteries, addressing challenges such as electrolyte volatility under low pressure, and improving thermal and pressure management systems. Their work lays the groundwork for multi-energy complementary systems, essential for future space exploration missions.

Research Report:A high-energy-density and long-cycling-lifespan Mars battery

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University of Science and Technology of China

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