IBM develops new cobalt-free battery technology

According to Reuters, the international business machine company IBM said it has proposed a new battery technology that uses materials extracted from seawater and does not require cobalt. IBM said that the competition to find alternative sources of expensive minerals has become increasingly fierce. It has collaborated with Daimler ’s Mercedes-Benz research department, battery electrolyte supplier Central Glass and battery manufacturer Sidus for new designs. Commercial development.

Jeff Welser, vice president of IBM Research, said: "The goal is to have the (battery) first working prototype within a year or so." However, IBM may not eventually use the design to manufacture products.

Top battery manufacturers are scrambling to reduce the cobalt content in lithium-ion batteries, and the expansion of the electric vehicle market is expected to result in a shortage of minerals found mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

IBM said that it turns out that its technology is superior to lithium-ion batteries in terms of cost, charging time and energy efficiency.