Lithium-ion batteries are the most commonly used rechargeable batteries for consumer devices, including clocks, cameras, watches, calculators, and electric vehicles, among many others. Today, many researchers are working to make batteries lighter, safer, faster to charge, and most importantly, longer-lasting.
At SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, operated by the U.S. Dept. of Energy and Stanford Univ., scientists successfully slowed the degradation of a standard lithium battery, increasing its lifetime by nearly 30%.
In a typical lithium battery, a current collector receives electrons from an external circuit, inducing lithium ions stored on the positive end of the battery, known as the cathode, to move to the negative end, known as the anode. This process is known as charging a battery. When connected to a device, the battery discharges and provides power as lithium ions move back to the cathode from the anode, creating a current flow within the battery.
Batteries can degrade over time as some lithium becomes electrochemically inactive and is no longer able to connect with the electrodes. This dead lithium accumulates over many charge cycles. According to the researchers, the inactive lithium forms little islands at the negative end of the battery, cut off from...
Would you like to access the complete CEP News Update?
No problem. You just have to complete the following steps.
You have completed 0 of 2 steps.
-
Log in
You must be logged in to view this content. Log in now.
-
AIChE Membership
You must be an AIChE member to view this article. Join now.
Copyright Permissions
Would you like to reuse content from CEP Magazine? It’s easy to request permission to reuse content. Simply click here to connect instantly to licensing services, where you can choose from a list of options regarding how you would like to reuse the desired content and complete the transaction.
