PRINCETON, N.J. – Princeton researchers have a theory that strings can be used as part of an efficient system to gather lithium, the hard-to-harvest material vital to powering most of our electronics.
Much research worldwide is focused on finding an alternative to the expensive battery component. This idea offers a solution that could make lithium — a proven power storer — easier and cheaper to supply.
If successful, the innovation could help to drive down the costs of electric vehicles and other technology.
“Our approach is cheap, easy to operate, and requires very little energy. It’s an environmentally friendly solution to a critical energy challenge,” Princeton professor and team lead Z. Jason Ren said in a university report.
The experts laced the blue ropes, which resemble boot laces in size, with a “water-loving core and a water-repelling surface,” according to a Princeton report on the research. When dipped in briney water, the liquid moves up the rope. The hanging strings look sort of like wicks in an old-fashioned candle factory as the salts begin to gather.
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