lithium-ion batteries tagged posts

Placing battery tech directly on tissue to deliver lithium ions for targeted pain relief

The secret ingredient in a new biomedical device? Lithium-ion battery tech
A new study from the University of Chicago shows how an ingredient from lithium batteries could form the foundation of treatments for pain relief or other disorders. Above, a tiny, flexible patch that can be interfaced with neural tissue to reduce pain signaling. Credit: Chuanwang Yang

A new study from the University of Chicago taps an ingredient most often used in the lithium-ion batteries that power our devices to open new avenues in biomedical technology. Lithium plays vital roles in the body, but taking it orally can have unwanted side effects—so a pair of UChicago chemistry labs teamed up to find a way to deliver lithium only to the exact places where it’s needed.

Their study, published in Nature Materials, could be the foundation for future biomedical technologies to treat p...

Read More

World’s first full-cell dual-cation battery developed in Ireland

World's first full-cell dual-cation battery developed at University of Limerick, Ireland
Postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Syed Abdul Ahad and Associate Professor Hugh Geaney of UL’s Department of Chemical Sciences and Bernal Institute. Credit: Alan Place/UL

Researchers at University of Limerick (UL) have developed a battery that could reshape the future of electric vehicles and portable electronics. Their breakthrough in energy storage technology has seen the development of the world’s first full-cell dual-cation battery.

This innovative system combines lithium and sodium ions to significantly enhance both battery capacity and stability, marking a new frontier in sustainable energy research.

The work, published in Nano Energy, was led by Hugh Geaney, Associate Professor of Chemistry at UL’s Department of Chemical Sciences and Principal Investigator at UL’s Bernal Institute, ...

Read More

Solar energy is now the world’s cheapest source of power, study finds

energy
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Solar energy is now so cost-effective that, in the sunniest countries, it costs as little as £0.02 to produce one unit of power, making it cheaper than electricity generated from coal, gas or wind, according to a new study from the University of Surrey.

In a study accepted for publication in Energy and Environment Materials, researchers from Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) argue that solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is now the key driver of the world’s transition to clean, renewable power.

Professor Ravi Silva, co-author of the study and Director of the ATI at the University of Surrey, said, “Even here in the U.K., a country that sits 50 degrees north of the equator, solar is the cheapest option for large-scale energy generation.

Read More

Battery made from natural materials could replace conventional lithium-ion batteries

Battery made from natural materials could replace conventional lithium-ion batteries
(A) Structural design of polypeptides carrying redox-active pendant groups. (B) Riboflavin was selected as a potential electroactive alternative to viologen to enhance the sustainability and biocompatibility of the resulting redox-active polypeptide. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2509325122

What if the next battery you buy was made from the same kinds of ingredients found in your body? That’s the idea behind a breakthrough battery material made from natural, biodegradable components. It’s so natural, it could even be consumed as food.

A team of researchers at Texas A&M University, including Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Dr. Karen Wooley and Professor of Chemical Engineering Dr...

Read More