Revitalizing batteries by resurrecting 'dead' lithium (IMAGE)
Caption
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University may have found a way to revitalize rechargeable lithium batteries, potentially boosting the range of electric vehicles and battery life in next-gen electronic devices. s lithium batteries cycle, they accumulate little islands of inactive lithium that are cut off from the electrodes, decreasing the battery’s capacity to store charge. But the research team discovered that they could make this “dead” lithium creep like a worm toward one of the electrodes until it reconnects, partially reversing the unwanted process. Adding this extra step increased battery lifetime by nearly 30%.
Credit
Greg Stewart/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Usage Restrictions
None
License
Original content