https://www.cas.cn/cm/202408/t20240828_5030075.shtml
https://techport.nasa.gov/view/94125
A team at the University of Science and Technology of China has developed a Mars battery that uses CO2 in the Martian atmosphere as the fuel material for the battery reaction, achieving high energy density and long cycle performance. Since the carbon dioxide content in the Martian atmosphere is as high as 95.32%, and lithium carbon dioxide batteries use metallic lithium and carbon dioxide as reactants, they are considered to have potential application value in Mars exploration. However, existing studies generally ignore the complex environment of Mars, including multiple gas components and drastic temperature fluctuations with a temperature difference of about 60 degrees Celsius between day and night. In response to this problem, the research team developed a Mars battery that uses the Martian atmosphere as direct fuel, and combined with temperature fluctuation tests, it simulated the real environment on the surface of Mars to a great extent, thereby realizing a Mars battery system that can output electricity sustainably. At a low temperature of 0 degrees Celsius, the researchers measured the battery’s energy density as high as 373.9 watt-hours per kilogram, and the cycle life was 1,375 hours, about two Martian months.
Studies have shown that the electrochemical performance of the Martian battery has significant temperature dependence in the range of 0-60 degrees Celsius. Under high temperature conditions, the voltage gap is 1.6 volts, the rate is 0.4 amperes per gram, and the power density is 3.9 watts per square meter. Specifically, the battery is accompanied by the generation and decomposition of lithium carbonate during the charging and discharging process. Through integrated electrode preparation and foldable battery structure design, the team enlarged the cell size to 2×2 square centimeters, further improving the energy density of the soft-pack battery to 765 watt-hours per kilogram and 630 watt-hours per liter.
According to the USTC researchers, this study provides a proof of concept for the application of Martian batteries in actual Martian environments and lays the foundation for the development of multi-energy complementary energy systems in future space exploration.