New discovery makes batteries charge faster and last longer

Scientists at the Brookhaven Laboratory of the US Department of Energy have discovered a strange phenomenon in lithium-ion batteries, the most popular type of battery currently used to power phones and electric vehicles, thereby opening up the prospect of creating batteries that charge faster and have a longer life.

The latest research shows that when batteries emit current, the density of lithium inside the tiny particles can reverse at a certain point, instead of constantly increasing. This is a big step forward in improving the life of batteries in consumer electronics. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances.

Illustration photo.

Today’s limited battery capacity means phone users have to charge their phones every day. But this new discovery could lead to the development of batteries that charge faster and last longer. Inside each lithium-ion battery are particles whose atoms are arranged in a lattice, a periodic structure with gaps between the atoms.

As a lithium-ion battery generates electricity, lithium ions move into the empty spaces in this atomic lattice. Previously, scientists thought that the density of lithium would increase continuously in this lattice. In fact, this is not true because the battery's electricity is generated from extremely small particles.

The above phenomenon is similar to when we dip a sponge into water, the overall density of lithium will continuously increase in the microscopic particle. However, unlike water, lithium can freely move out of some areas, causing the density of lithium to not be evenly distributed across the atomic lattice.

Scientists explain that the uneven migration of lithium can lead to negative effects over time, causing the battery to overheat during operation. Before lithium enters the grid, its structure is uniform. However, lithium stretches the grid as it enters and causes it to collapse as it exits.

As such, each charge wears out the battery and stresses its active components, degrading the battery over time. It is therefore important to understand how lithium density affects both space and time.

Although the study focused only on lithium-ion batteries, the scientists believe the phenomenon could occur in other high-performance batteries.