In a development that signifies how powerful and fast artificial intelligence (AI) can be, scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) used Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT technology to screen 32 million candidates and zero in on a potential new battery material in 80 hours.
What Happened: As detailed on Microsoft's Quantum Blog, the company’s Quantum team utilized AI to identify and synthesize a previously unknown material that could enhance battery technology.
This non-natural material was later tested by PNNL, confirming its unique properties and potential as a sustainable energy storage solution.
"Finding a material among those candidates with the right properties for the task, in this case for a new solid-state battery electrolyte, is like finding a needle in a haystack," said Dr. Nathan Baker, Product Leader, Azure Quantum Elements, Microsoft.
In collaboration with PNNL, the Microsoft Quantum team leveraged advanced AI to speed up the discovery process, reducing it from several years to just a few days. The identified material could reduce lithium use in batteries by about 70%, offering potential environmental, safety, and economic benefits.
"Lithium and other strategic elements used in these batteries are finite resources with limited and geographically concentrated supplies," said Vijay Murugesan, Group Leader—Materials Science, PNNL.
Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk reacted to the development, calling it "Interesting."
Why It Matters: By reducing lithium requirements, batteries can become more sustainable and cost-effective and help reduce the demand for lithium mining.
According to a report by Friends of the Earth, lithium mining is water-intensive and can harm the soil, the groundwater in and around the mining area, and also cause air contamination due to the generation of toxic waste.
A 70% reduction in lithium requirement could also significantly boost the transition away from fossil fuels.
Moreover, the successful application of AI in this discovery process sets a precedent for future scientific research, indicating a faster, more efficient route to innovation.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: Courtesy Gerd Altmann via Pixabay
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