NEWS
ENERGY STORAGE Oz battery boost MARIA BURKE
In a move that could kick-start commercial lithium-ion battery manufacturing in Australia, the country’s first pilot facility to make commercial grade lithium- ion batteries has produced its first product. The AUS$4m facility, which
took four years to construct, was built within the Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) pilot plant precinct at Banyo in Brisbane. It includes Australia’s only electro-manufacturing room with zero humidity and can produce batteries similar to those used to power Tesla electric cars. ‘As part of this project, we identified the best lithium-based powders to use to create a battery of the highest energy- efficiency standards,’ said Peter Talbot from QUT’s Institute for Future Environments. ‘The powder is a combination of lithium and other compounds. We tested various compositions
MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY 3D Bone grafts MARIA BURKE
Three-dimensional samples of mineralised bone have been grown in the laboratory for the first time using technology originally developed to detect gravitational waves. The aim is to develop them as ‘living bone grafts’ able to repair or replace damaged sections of bone in patients. The team from the
universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde, the West of Scotland and Galway grew the samples from mesenchymal cells from the bone marrow of human donors (Nature Biomed. Eng., 2017, 1, 758). Mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to differentiate into a range of
specialised cell types such as bone, cartilage, ligament, tendon and muscle. Using patients’ own mesenchymal cells should prevent the problem of rejection. In a process called ‘nanokicking’, the researchers suspend mesenchymal cells in a matrix of collagen gels. They then place the cells in a bioreactor where they undergo vibrations of nanoscale amplitude generated by sophisticated laser interferometer systems. This stimulates the formation of bone or osteogenesis, producing a mineralised matrix dubbed ‘bone putty’ that can heal small fractures and fill gaps in bone. ‘Now that we have advanced the process to the point where
it’s readily reproducible and affordable, we will begin our first human trials in around three years in the NHS,’ says Matthew Dalby, professor of cell engineering at the University of Glasgow.
In the next step, the team will
combine the bone putty with large 3D printed scaffolds to fill significant bone defects. In partnership with the landmine charity Find A Better Way, Dalby and colleagues have already proven the effectiveness of scaffolds in veterinary medicine, by growing new bone to save the leg of a dog that would otherwise have had to be amputated. ‘Combining bone putty and mechanically strong scaffolds will allow us to address
large bone deficits in humans in the future,’ he says. Elena García-Gareta, director
of research at RAFT medical research charity at Mount Vernon Hospital in London says this is the first bioreactor of its kind and the first time that bone cells have been produced from mesenchymal cells in a 3D environment using nanoscale vibrations. ‘The simple and straightforward experimental setting make this elegant technology easily translatable to other research facilities, clean rooms or industrial settings. I think this research is highly original, and has great potential applications in the pharma sector and – should the authors be able to scale it up – in clinics.’
of chemicals until we were satisfied we had achieved the best powder.’ The team then
developed a process that enables them to rapidly test and prototype rechargeable lithium-ion batteries of various shapes and sizes. ‘We will be able to purpose-build the most efficient batteries possible to power any number of devices and products, including some of QUT’s key robots,’ Talbot enthused. ‘This process could be
automated to enable Australia to have a competitive advantage in a manufacturing space that is currently dominated by China. As the middle class in the ASEAN region grows, so too will the demand for lithium-ion battery operated goods. As more and more vehicles in the future are manufactured to run on battery
cathodes and anodes.
power, the development of longer-lasting batteries will be crucial to a vehicle’s overall efficiency and appeal to consumers.’ According to Tokyo-based
Yano Research Institute, China presently controls more than 75% of the market for electrolyte solutions – a key component of lithium-ion batteries. Chinese manufacturers are also the dominant producers of other battery components, such as separators and materials for
However, Australia is one of several countries where
lithium is mined from hard-rock deposits. According to Lithium Australia, the country will be the largest producer of lithium in 2017, accounting for 40% of global production. The global lithium-ion
battery market is expected to reach US$46.21bn by 2022, with a CAGR of 11% from 2016 to 2022. Lithium-ion batteries are used in EVs, consumer electronics and in the energy sector.
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