Lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements power batteries, electric vehicles, and green tech. A handful of countries dominate global supply and refining shaping who leads the energy transition and future technologies.

5 countries with the most critical minerals for the future of energy and technology

Researchers have reportedly developed an iron-based cathode material which can pave the way for making cheaper, safer, and more sustainable batteries. The new material will end the need to use expensive and scarce metals such as cobalt and nickel, leading to the manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) at cheaper rates.

Researchers have reportedly developed an iron-based cathode material which can pave the way for making cheaper, safer, and more sustainable batteries. The new material will end the need to use expensive and scarce metals such as cobalt and nickel, leading to the manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) at cheaper rates. Oregon State University chemistry researcher Xiulei “David” Ji explained how they transformed the reactivity of iron metal to achieve exciting results. “Our electrode can offer a higher energy density than the state-of-the-art cathode materials in electric vehicles. And since we use iron, whose cost can be less than a dollar per kilogramme – a small fraction of nickel and cobalt, which are indispensable in current high-energy lithium-ion batteries – the cost of our batteries is potentially much lower,” he was quoted as saying by a science website 'Interesting Engineering'. The researcher added that the use of scarce metals contributes up to 50 per cent to the production cost of lithium-ion battery cells. He also warned that the overexploitation of these metals may even cause a shortage and the ensuing collapse of nickel and cobalt-based battery manufacturing. On the other hand, iron is the most common element on Earth as measured by mass, the researcher adds. “We will not run out of iron till the sun turns into a red giant,” he says. Also read: Nio joins forces with FAW to supercharge battery swapping network Scientists mixed special chemicals with iron powder, lithium fluoride, and lithium phosphate to create iron salts that can change back and forth. This way, they could use iron in the battery without needing to change other parts of how batteries are made. “We’ve demonstrated that the materials designed with anions can break the ceiling of energy density for batteries that are more sustainable and cost less,” Ji explained. “We’re not using some more expensive salt in conjunction with iron – just those the battery industry has been using and then iron powder," he added. Also read : Scientists develop sodium battery that can be charged in seconds “To put this new cathode in applications, one needs to change nothing else – no new anodes, no new production lines, no new design of the battery. We are just replacing one thing, the cathode,” added Ji. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists use iron to develop cheaper, safer, sustainable lithium-ion batteries

In a shocking incident, a 73-year-old man in Australia was admitted to the hospital with the urgent need to undergo urethra surgery after he jammed three button-style batteries into his penis to attain “sexual gratification”. 
 
The unidentified Australian man's medical anomaly has now become part of a revolting medical study published in Urology Case Reports. As per the report, the man had intentionally shoved batteries into his penis for his own “sexual gratification”. 
 
“To the best of our understanding, this is the first reported case of urethral necrosis with button battery insertion,” wrote the authors. 
 
As per the reports, this was not the first time the patient had attempted such a bizarre act. He had shoved the batteries multiple times before it finally got stuck inside.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/uk-man-bled-to-death-after-chopping-off-his-penis-new-details-reveal-682017">UK man bled to death after chopping off his penis, new details reveal</a>

<h2 lang="en-US">Man took shockwave therapy after facing erectile dysfunction</h2>

Three years before, the man had suffered erectile dysfunction and also endured shockwave therapy on his penis. 
 
The septuagenarian waited for 24 hours before seeking medical attention after which the doctors quickly took steps to remove the foreign objects since their corrosiveness can lead to necrosis,&nbsp;death of body tissue, in only two hours. 
 
The doctors also feared that the man could suffer from a rare but lethal infection of Fournier’s gangrene. After making several unsuccessful attempts, the surgeons finally used the forceps to take out the batteries. 
 
“All extracted batteries were coated with black tar-like material,” read the study. However, even though the batteries were removed, after ten days the man complained of swelling and icky discharge after which the doctors conducted another operation on him. 
 
“An incision was made to the penile skin,” said the researchers, further stating that “a large amount” of fluids had leaked out.

Watch:&nbsp;Decoding Paperclipping: The new dating trend

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/decoding-paperclipping-the-new-dating-trend-690620/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The fear of doctors turned into a reality as the man developed an “extensive degree of necrosis”, and they had to remove a part of his urethra. 
 
“Given the complexity of his injury, it was deemed that formal penile urethral reconstruction would likely require a 3-stage repair,” as per the researchers, who called the six-month-long procedure of mucous membrane grafts as complex. 
 
The doctors after assessing the extremely damaged penis, finally “decided that the best option would be for no further penile reconstruction.”

(With inputs from agencies)

In a shocking incident, a 73-year-old man in Australia was admitted to the hospital with the urgent need to undergo urethra surgery after he jammed three button-style batteries into his penis to attain “sexual gratification”.

In a shocking incident, a 73-year-old man in Australia was admitted to the hospital with the urgent need to undergo urethra surgery after he jammed three button-style batteries into his penis to attain “sexual gratification”. The unidentified Australian man's medical anomaly has now become part of a revolting medical study published in Urology Case Reports. As per the report, the man had intentionally shoved batteries into his penis for his own “sexual gratification”. “To the best of our understanding, this is the first reported case of urethral necrosis with button battery insertion,” wrote the authors. As per the reports, this was not the first time the patient had attempted such a bizarre act. He had shoved the batteries multiple times before it finally got stuck inside. Also Read: UK man bled to death after chopping off his penis, new details reveal Man took shockwave therapy after facing erectile dysfunction Three years before, the man had suffered erectile dysfunction and also endured shockwave therapy on his penis. The septuagenarian waited for 24 hours before seeking medical attention after which the doctors quickly took steps to remove the foreign objects since their corrosiveness can lead to necrosis, death of body tissue, in only two hours. The doctors also feared that the man could suffer from a rare but lethal infection of Fournier’s gangrene. After making several unsuccessful attempts, the surgeons finally used the forceps to take out the batteries. “All extracted batteries were coated with black tar-like material,” read the study. However, even though the batteries were removed, after ten days the man complained of swelling and icky discharge after which the doctors conducted another operation on him. “An incision was made to the penile skin,” said the researchers, further stating that “a large amount” of fluids had leaked out. Watch: Decoding Paperclipping: The new dating trend The fear of doctors turned into a reality as the man developed an “extensive degree of necrosis”, and they had to remove a part of his urethra. “Given the complexity of his injury, it was deemed that formal penile urethral reconstruction would likely require a 3-stage repair,” as per the researchers, who called the six-month-long procedure of mucous membrane grafts as complex. The doctors after assessing the extremely damaged penis, finally “decided that the best option would be for no further penile reconstruction.” (With inputs from agencies)

Man in Australia jams batteries into his penis for 'sexual gratification', leaves doctors baffled

In a bid to shore up its renewable energy capacity, India is all set to offer 455.2 million dollars in incentives for setting up battery storage projects. Reuters sources said that this incentive is expected to expand India’s renewable energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030. And cut the cost of battery energy storage from the current 5.5-6.5 Rupees per unit.

India to incentivise battery storage projects: Report

The initiative taken by major companies to shift from Petrol based cars and manufacture electric cars but what if that shifting to battery-powered vehicles is still harming our environment. Watch this report to know more.

WION Climate Tracker: Lithium batteries reveal dark side of our electric fortune

In Ireland, doctors removed 55 AA and AAA batteries from a woman's gut and stomach after she swallowed them in a deliberate act of self-harm.

According to a report published by the Irish Medical Journal on Thursday, the 66-year-old woman was getting treated at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin after devouring an initially "unknown number" of cylindrical batteries, reports Science Alert

The doctor in their report said that this was the highest reported number of "batteries ingested at a single point in time."

The case perplexed the doctors as several reports published in medical journals mentioned instances of a child swallowing small, button-style batteries.&nbsp;

"The deliberate ingestion of multiple large AA batteries as a form of deliberate self-harm is an unusual presentation," the doctors reported.

In the most common cases of battery ingestion among kids, the batteries can sometimes pass through a child's body without causing damage. However, if they get stuck in the throat, they can cause severe and even life-threatening injuries, according to UCSF's Benioff Children's Hospitals.

This is because saliva kick-starts an electric current in the trapped batteries, spurring a chemical reaction that can burn the esophagus and can lead to severe tissue damage and bleeding.

"The potential of cylindrical batteries to result in acute surgical emergencies should not be underestimated," the case report states.

In the woman's case, an X-ray revealed that the batteries in her abdomen did not appear to be obstructing her gastrointestinal (GI) tract and no batteries showed signs of structural damage.

After a week of observation, the doctors performed laparotomy on the woman, in which surgeons made an incision to access her abdominal cavity. They found that the stomach, pulled down by the weight of the batteries, had become distended and stretched into the area above the pubic bone

They then cut a small hole in the stomach and removed the batteries from the organ.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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In Ireland, doctors removed 55 AA and AAA batteries from a woman's gut and stomach after she swallowed them in a deliberate act of self-harm. According to a report published by the Irish Medical Journal on Thursday, the 66-year-old woman was getting treated at St.

In Ireland, doctors removed 55 AA and AAA batteries from a woman's gut and stomach after she swallowed them in a deliberate act of self-harm. According to a report published by the Irish Medical Journal on Thursday, the 66-year-old woman was getting treated at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin after devouring an initially "unknown number" of cylindrical batteries, reports Science Alert The doctor in their report said that this was the highest reported number of "batteries ingested at a single point in time." The case perplexed the doctors as several reports published in medical journals mentioned instances of a child swallowing small, button-style batteries. "The deliberate ingestion of multiple large AA batteries as a form of deliberate self-harm is an unusual presentation," the doctors reported. In the most common cases of battery ingestion among kids, the batteries can sometimes pass through a child's body without causing damage. However, if they get stuck in the throat, they can cause severe and even life-threatening injuries, according to UCSF's Benioff Children's Hospitals. This is because saliva kick-starts an electric current in the trapped batteries, spurring a chemical reaction that can burn the esophagus and can lead to severe tissue damage and bleeding. "The potential of cylindrical batteries to result in acute surgical emergencies should not be underestimated," the case report states. In the woman's case, an X-ray revealed that the batteries in her abdomen did not appear to be obstructing her gastrointestinal (GI) tract and no batteries showed signs of structural damage. After a week of observation, the doctors performed laparotomy on the woman, in which surgeons made an incision to access her abdominal cavity. They found that the stomach, pulled down by the weight of the batteries, had become distended and stretched into the area above the pubic bone They then cut a small hole in the stomach and removed the batteries from the organ. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ireland doctors remove 'highest' 55 batteries from woman's gut and stomach

American University of Maryland researchers have identified a special chemical found in crustaceans like crabs and lobsters that can be used to make long-lasting batteries for energy storage. According to a Newsweek report, they employed a substance called chitin, which makes up a significant component of the structural framework of crabs, to manufacture the batteries.&nbsp;

Journal Matter on Thursday published a paper titled "A sustainable chitosan-zinc electrolyte for high-rate zinc-metal batteries." Professor Liangbing Hu from the University of Maryland served as the project's leader.&nbsp;

The professor was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "We think both biodegradability of material, or environmental impact, and the performance of the batteries are important for a product, which has the potential to be commercialised."

As the world proceeds towards the deployment of green energy solutions and electric vehicles, the batteries that are used for such technologies must also be environmentally beneficial, the report added.&nbsp;

The degradation of conventional batteries, comprised of lithium-ion and other materials, can take hundreds or even thousands of years. These compounds are frequently also flammable and corrosive. Batteries from consumer electronics can start fires on aeroplanes, in landfills, and at recycling sites.

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The cells that make up the exoskeleton of crustaceans like crabs, shrimp, and lobsters contain chitin, a form of carbohydrate that gives their shells a tough, robust surface. This beneficial ingredient, which can be found in fungi, insects, and other byproducts of the food industry, is extensively spread in nature and is frequently present in restaurant food waste and other byproducts.&nbsp;

Scientists are now focusing on electrical engineering after studying a number of applications for chitin. In biomedical engineering, examples of these applications include anti-inflammatory medications and wound dressing.

(with inputs from agencies)

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

American University of Maryland researchers have identified a special chemical found in crustaceans like crabs and lobsters that can be used to make long-lasting batteries for energy storage.

American University of Maryland researchers have identified a special chemical found in crustaceans like crabs and lobsters that can be used to make long-lasting batteries for energy storage. According to a Newsweek report, they employed a substance called chitin, which makes up a significant component of the structural framework of crabs, to manufacture the batteries. Journal Matter on Thursday published a paper titled "A sustainable chitosan-zinc electrolyte for high-rate zinc-metal batteries." Professor Liangbing Hu from the University of Maryland served as the project's leader. The professor was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "We think both biodegradability of material, or environmental impact, and the performance of the batteries are important for a product, which has the potential to be commercialised." As the world proceeds towards the deployment of green energy solutions and electric vehicles, the batteries that are used for such technologies must also be environmentally beneficial, the report added. The degradation of conventional batteries, comprised of lithium-ion and other materials, can take hundreds or even thousands of years. These compounds are frequently also flammable and corrosive. Batteries from consumer electronics can start fires on aeroplanes, in landfills, and at recycling sites. Also Read: Watch | Satellite images show how the historic drought turned lush Europe brown The cells that make up the exoskeleton of crustaceans like crabs, shrimp, and lobsters contain chitin, a form of carbohydrate that gives their shells a tough, robust surface. This beneficial ingredient, which can be found in fungi, insects, and other byproducts of the food industry, is extensively spread in nature and is frequently present in restaurant food waste and other byproducts. Scientists are now focusing on electrical engineering after studying a number of applications for chitin. In biomedical engineering, examples of these applications include anti-inflammatory medications and wound dressing. (with inputs from agencies)

Sustainable batteries made from lobster and crab shells might be the future

At a time when concerns are being raised in India over the safety record of electric scooters amid countless instances of vehicles catching fire, an indigenous solution is in the works. This gets to the root of the issue and is an attempt to replace the Lithium-ion batteries (which power contemporary EVs) with made-in-India Zinc-air batteries, which have considerable advantages over the former.

WION spoke to Dr Aravind Kumar Chandiran, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras, whose team is behind this Zinc-air battery prototype.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/explained-what-causes-sudden-fires-in-electric-vehicles-and-how-it-can-be-prevented-467317">https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/explained-what-causes-sudden-fires-in-electric-vehicles-and-how-it-can-be-prevented-467317</a>

According to him, when compared to Lithium-ion batteries, the Zinc-air batteries are more environmentally friendly, costs less, provide similar mileage as Li-ion batteries, are easier to manufacture and maintain and can easily be mass-produced in India, given how the country has abundant resources of Zinc.

"Zinc is actually a nutrient found in our food and is safer when compared to lithium. In Zinc-air batteries one electrode is zinc and another is oxygen (derived from the air) and this setup sits in an aqueous electrolyte. This makes it water-based and hence can fully prevent any possibility of fire. The worst-case scenario in case of a failure or malfunction is that the battery won't deliver power" he explained.

While Lithium-ion batteries have to be swapped (discharged battery replaced with a fully charged one), Zinc-air ones don't need a total replacement. Only a small component of the battery, such as its 'Zinc cassette' (anode) has to be replaced. In layman's terms, the Zinc cassette replacement can be compared to how a memory card is removed and replaced from a gadget.

However, it has to be performed at dedicated Zinc cassette replacement facilities or charging stations(similar to fuel stations or EV charging stations). This process is also said to be sustainable, as the spent Zinc oxide cassette can be removed and converted back to Zinc. The process of replacing the Zinc cassette could safely be carried out at home by a layperson, with basic training on the procedure.

With Lithium-ion batteries used in Electric vehicles and other devices majorly being imported from China, the Researchers from IIT-M feel that further work on Zinc-air batteries can provide a home-grown solution for India. India being home to large Zinc reserves also helps accelerate the large-scale manufacturing of such batteries, it is said. The team is also in talks with automobile OEMs to integrate these new-age batteries into the vehicles, in about a year's time.

Queried about the power holding capacity of their batteries, Dr Chandiran said, "We have built batteries that can store up to 1.3-2.6Kilo Watt Hour(KWh) and this is sufficient as most E-scooters use 2KWh batteries. The Zinc-air batteries that we have developed are far simpler to manufacture and the process can be done even in a normal room with ambient conditions and standard machines. This is in contrast to Li-ion batteries that require special ultradry conditions and high pure chemicals at the manufacturing facility.

However, there is one technical aspect where these Zinc-ion batteries fall significantly behind their Lithium-ion counterparts. "Such batteries can only be used in two or three-wheelers and not cars, as cars require high power and these batteries can't cater to that need. Simply put, these Zinc-air batteries are capable of storing high amounts of energy(on par with Li-ion ones), but cannot deliver power as rapidly as Li-ion" Dr Chandiran explained.

At a time when concerns are being raised in India over the safety record of electric scooters amid countless instances of vehicles catching fire, an indigenous solution is in the works.

At a time when concerns are being raised in India over the safety record of electric scooters amid countless instances of vehicles catching fire, an indigenous solution is in the works. This gets to the root of the issue and is an attempt to replace the Lithium-ion batteries (which power contemporary EVs) with made-in-India Zinc-air batteries, which have considerable advantages over the former. WION spoke to Dr Aravind Kumar Chandiran, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras, whose team is behind this Zinc-air battery prototype. https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/explained-what-causes-sudden-fires-in-electric-vehicles-and-how-it-can-be-prevented-467317 According to him, when compared to Lithium-ion batteries, the Zinc-air batteries are more environmentally friendly, costs less, provide similar mileage as Li-ion batteries, are easier to manufacture and maintain and can easily be mass-produced in India, given how the country has abundant resources of Zinc. "Zinc is actually a nutrient found in our food and is safer when compared to lithium. In Zinc-air batteries one electrode is zinc and another is oxygen (derived from the air) and this setup sits in an aqueous electrolyte. This makes it water-based and hence can fully prevent any possibility of fire. The worst-case scenario in case of a failure or malfunction is that the battery won't deliver power" he explained. While Lithium-ion batteries have to be swapped (discharged battery replaced with a fully charged one), Zinc-air ones don't need a total replacement. Only a small component of the battery, such as its 'Zinc cassette' (anode) has to be replaced. In layman's terms, the Zinc cassette replacement can be compared to how a memory card is removed and replaced from a gadget. However, it has to be performed at dedicated Zinc cassette replacement facilities or charging stations(similar to fuel stations or EV charging stations). This process is also said to be sustainable, as the spent Zinc oxide cassette can be removed and converted back to Zinc. The process of replacing the Zinc cassette could safely be carried out at home by a layperson, with basic training on the procedure. With Lithium-ion batteries used in Electric vehicles and other devices majorly being imported from China, the Researchers from IIT-M feel that further work on Zinc-air batteries can provide a home-grown solution for India. India being home to large Zinc reserves also helps accelerate the large-scale manufacturing of such batteries, it is said. The team is also in talks with automobile OEMs to integrate these new-age batteries into the vehicles, in about a year's time. Queried about the power holding capacity of their batteries, Dr Chandiran said, "We have built batteries that can store up to 1.3-2.6Kilo Watt Hour(KWh) and this is sufficient as most E-scooters use 2KWh batteries. The Zinc-air batteries that we have developed are far simpler to manufacture and the process can be done even in a normal room with ambient conditions and standard machines. This is in contrast to Li-ion batteries that require special ultradry conditions and high pure chemicals at the manufacturing facility. However, there is one technical aspect where these Zinc-ion batteries fall significantly behind their Lithium-ion counterparts. "Such batteries can only be used in two or three-wheelers and not cars, as cars require high power and these batteries can't cater to that need. Simply put, these Zinc-air batteries are capable of storing high amounts of energy(on par with Li-ion ones), but cannot deliver power as rapidly as Li-ion" Dr Chandiran explained.

India: IIT-M team develops Zinc-air batteries that could power E-scooters, without risk of fire

Hyundai's Genesis is the latest carmaker that it would phase out all gas-powered cars by the end of the decade. The company announced that its luxury vehicles debuting 2025 onwards will run on fuel cells and batteries.

World Business Watch: Hyundai's luxury brand Genesis to be all-electric by 2030

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