Highdensity

Next-generation batteries could take on many forms, but one design that scientists are pinning a lot of hope on involves the use of lithium metal. The excellent energy density of this material could see batteries power smartphones for days at a time, and by designing a new electrolyte that can be controlled by an external magnetic fields, scientist in South Korea have edged them a little closer to reality.A lithium-metal battery is one that would see this material deployed in place of the graphite and copper used in the…

The field of battery research is riddled with roadblocks and bottlenecks, but there is one problem that rears its head more than most. Branch-like growths called dendrites continue to plague next-gen battery designs of many types, but new MIT-led research claims to have uncovered the root of the problem, and shown how it can be negated through the clever use of mechanical stress.Dendrites are thin, tentacle-like metal filaments that can develop on the electrode of a lithium battery as it is cycled, snaking their way into…

Bigger batteries that can store more energy are only part of the puzzle when it comes to driving mainstream adoption of electric vehicles, with scientists also working to minimize future plug-in times through advances in fast-charging technology. Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have operated at the cutting-edge of this field for some time and are now presenting another significant breakthrough, demonstrating a high-density battery that can be charged up in around 10 minutes.Led by Chao-Yang Wang, the advance…