lithium-ion battery tagged posts

New Anode Material set to Boost Lithium-ion Battery Capacity

Cross-sectional schematic view showing the detailed structural characteristics of a SGC hybrid particle.

Cross-sectional schematic view showing the detailed structural characteristics of a SGC hybrid particle.

A team affiliated with Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea, claims to have made yet another step towards finding a solution to accelerate the commercialization of silicon anode for Lithium-ion batteries. A new approach developed by a team led by Prof. Jaephil Cho could hold the key to greatly improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries.

Prof. Cho and his team have developed a new type anode material that would be used in place of a conventional graphite anode, which they claim will lead to lighter and longer-lasting batteries for everything from personal devices to electric vehicles...

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Solid Batteries improve Safety

A slice of (white) lithium garnet electrolyte coated with a (black) lithium compound acting as the battery's minus pole in the laboratory of the ETH researchers. Credit: ETH Zurich / Fabio Bergamin

A slice of (white) lithium garnet electrolyte coated with a (black) lithium compound acting as the battery’s minus pole in the laboratory of the ETH researchers. Credit: ETH Zurich / Fabio Bergamin

A new lithium-ion battery made entirely of solid material has been developed by scientists. It has neither liquids nor gels. The battery is non-flammable, even at very high temperatures, giving it a safety advantage over conventional batteries. Mobile phones, laptops, e-bikes and electric cars are all powered by such batteries.

Conventional lithium-ion batteries are not without their dangers: mobile phone batteries have exploded several times in the past, resulting in injuries, and only 6 months ago an entire row of houses burned down in the old town of Steckborn on Lake Constance...

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Self-Heating Lithium-ion battery could beat the Winter Woes

This image shows an all-climate battery that rapidly self-heats battery materials and electrochemical interfaces in cold environments. Credit: Chao-Yang Wang, Penn State

This image shows an all-climate battery that rapidly self-heats battery materials and electrochemical interfaces in cold environments. Credit: Chao-Yang Wang, Penn State

A Li ion battery that self heats if <32F temp has multiple applications, but may have the most impact on relieving winter ‘range anxiety’ for electric vehicle owners. “It is a long standing problem that batteries do not perform well at subzero temperatures,” said Prof. Chao-Yang Wang. “This may not be an issue for phones and laptops, but is a huge barrier for electric vehicles, drones, outdoor robots and space applications.”

Conventional batteries at below freezing temperatures suffer severe power loss, which leads to slow charging in cold weather, restricted regenerative breaking and reduction of vehicle cruise range by a...

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New Lithium-ion Battery Shuts down at High Temperatures, Restarts when it Cools

Stanford researchers are using spiky nanoparticles of graphene-coated nickel to create a lithium-ion battery that shuts down when it's too hot, then quickly restarts when it cools (1µ =1 micrometer). Credit: Zheng Chen, Stanford University

Stanford researchers are using spiky nanoparticles of graphene-coated nickel to create a lithium-ion battery that shuts down when it’s too hot, then quickly restarts when it cools (1µ =1 micrometer). Credit: Zheng Chen, Stanford University

The new technology could prevent the kind of fires that have prompted recalls and bans on a wide range of battery-powered devices, from recliners and computers to navigation systems and hoverboards. “People have tried different strategies to solve the problem of accidental fires in lithium-ion batteries,” said Prof. Zhenan Bao, chemical engineering, Stanford. It “can be shut down and revived over repeated heating and cooling cycles without compromising performance.”

A typical Li-ion battery consists of 2 electrodes and a liquid or gel electrolyte that c...

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