This invention will drastically improve the performance of lithium electric batteries

Although the performance of lithium batteries has increased significantly in recent years thanks to science, improvements are still needed. The optimization work aims not only to increase their energy density, but also to reduce their costs as well as their impact on the environment. In South Korea, a research team composed of Dr Han Joong Tark and the student researcher Lee Do Geun of the KERI Nanohybrid Technologies Research Center has developed a new type of anode designed specifically for lithium-ion batteries. An article dedicated to this exciting research project was published in the prestigious scientific journal Advanced Functional Materials.

An innovative process

As the researchers specify in their study, their work focuses on the creation of “composite anode materials made of carbon doped with silicon and nitrogen” in order to improve the general performance of lithium batteries. To achieve their goal, they developed an innovative process for combining graphite and silicon. Indeed, even if it makes it possible to achieve an energy density well above that of graphite, the latter has the disadvantage of being very sensitive to temperature variations. As a result, it expands 3-4 times during charging and discharging, thereby hindering efficiency.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes

In order to maximize the silicon concentration rate of their new anode material, the Dr. Han Joong Tark And Lee Do Geun used nitrogen-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene. However, due to their small diameter and higher conductivity than multi-walled nanotubes, the nanotubes adopted by the team presented dispersion problems. Faced with this, researchers have developed new functionalization and colloidal dispersion processes that make it easier to add nitrogen to the surface of carbon nanotubes.

Longer lasting performance

By applying the carbon nanotubes they created to the anodes of lithium batteries, the scientists saw a marked increase in the speed of transfer of lithium ions to silicon. A phenomenon which, according to them, contributes to the improvement of charging speed. Furthermore, this design would increase stability. Laboratory tests showed that the battery equipped with the new positive electrode could retain up to 82% of its capacity after 100 charge/discharge cycles, compared to only 30% for traditional anodes. More information: doi.org. What do you think of this technology? I invite you to share your opinion, your remarks or notify us of an error in the text, click here to post a comment.