科學(xué)美國人60秒聽力練習(xí)：利用藻類改進電池

　　科學(xué)美國人60秒英文文本

　　從褐藻中提煉的褐藻膠可以幫助穩(wěn)定硅電極，以取代石墨電極，來生產(chǎn)質(zhì)量更好，價格更低的電池。Cynthia Graber 報導(dǎo)。

　　Common batteries are electrochemical cells. And they may get better thanks to living cells: the multicellular organism called brown algae.

　　Lithium ion batteries include a binder. It holds the graphite nanoparticles that serve as the anode. The binder isn’t active, but researchers say it’s crucial in the battery’s stability. In theory, a silicon anode would make a better battery than graphite, but it’s not stable. Cracks form, and the battery degrades. The researchers thought—could a silicon anode succeed with a better binder?

　　Seawater has a high concentration of ions, much like the battery’s electrolyte. So the researchers thought that an organism that survives in seawater might provide a natural binder. They tested alginate from brown algae. And it provided such an effective binder for silicon nanoparticles that the system didn’t degrade. The result? A battery that can store more energy, is less expensive, can last longer and wouldn’t use as many toxic chemicals in the manufacturing.

　　The research is online in Science Express, in advance of publication in the journal Science. [Igor Kovalenko et al., "A Major Constituent of Brown Algae for Use in High-Capacity Li-Ion Batteries"]

　　The scientists will refine their alginate efforts, in the hope that fast-growing brown algae can help contribute to our fast-growing battery economy.

　　—Cynthia Graber

　　科學(xué)美國人60秒中文翻譯：

　　普通電池是電氣化的細胞。并且它們會因有生命的細胞，一種叫做褐藻的多細胞生物，而使其質(zhì)量變得更好。

　　鋰電池內(nèi)含粘結(jié)劑。它能固定住石墨的納米顆粒來形成電極。粘結(jié)劑沒有活性，但研究人員稱它在保持電池的穩(wěn)定性方面起著決定性的作用。理論上，硅電極比石墨電極更適合生產(chǎn)電池，但硅電極不夠穩(wěn)定。一旦產(chǎn)生裂縫，電池的質(zhì)量就會下降。研究人員想--如果有更好的粘結(jié)劑，硅電極能否用于電池的實際生產(chǎn)呢?

　　海水包含高濃度的離子，非常類似于電池的電解液。所以研究人員認(rèn)為，海洋中的有機物可能會提供更好的粘結(jié)劑。他們測試了從藍藻中得到的褐藻膠。它為硅的納米顆粒提供了非常好的粘結(jié)劑，并且系統(tǒng)的質(zhì)量并未下降。這個實驗的結(jié)果?更好的電池產(chǎn)生了，它能儲存更多能量，更廉價，持續(xù)時間更長，而且比傳統(tǒng)電池生產(chǎn)技術(shù)使用更少的有毒化學(xué)物質(zhì)。

　　這個研究結(jié)果的在線版發(fā)布在《Science Express》，提前于《Science》。[Igor Kovalenko et al, A Major Constituent of Brown Algae for Use in High-Capacity Li-Ion Batteries]

　　科研工作者將繼續(xù)提高褐藻膠的精煉技術(shù)，他們希望快速生長的藍藻能為同樣快速增長的電池經(jīng)濟做出更大的貢獻。