How do Li-ion batteries change their properties during discharge?

The Vienna University of Technology has succeeded in developing new models that can be used to describe very precisely the behavior of lithium-ion batteries during the charging and discharging process

10-Aug-2023 - From cell phone batteries to electric cars - lithium-ion batteries have long been part of our everyday lives. Even the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in 2019 for the invention of such batteries. However, describing the processes in lithium-ion batteries with technical precision is ...

In search of the 'holy grail': researchers observe lithium ions in real time

Tracking lithiation with transmission electron microscopy: A decisive step in research on battery materials

22-Mar-2023 - Li ion imaging by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is the “holy grail” in the study of Li ion battery (LIB) materials. Tracking lithiation process in TEM could provide more profound understanding on the electrode degradation mechanism during battery cycling, which accelerates material ...

Development of stretchable and printable free-form lithium-ion batteries

Realization of stretchable, adhesive, and mechanically deformable batteries that effectively transfer ions

29-Mar-2022 - A Korean research team has developed a soft, mechanically deformable, and stretchable lithium battery which can be used in the development of wearable devices, and examined the battery’s feasibility by printing them on clothing surfaces. The research team, led by Dr. Jeong Gon Son from the Soft ...

Researchers Decode Reaction Mechanisms During Interphase Formation in Lithium Batteries

Origin of the Decomposition Product Methane More Complex Than Previously Assumed

20-Sep-2021 - Understanding all processes and reactions inside the lithium-ion battery in detail is essential for its further development. Especially interphases, which strongly influence the performance, safety and service life of energy storage systems, are still insufficiently investigated. They are ...

The hidden culprit killing lithium-metal batteries from the inside

First-of-their-kind snapshots reveal byproduct crippling powerful, experimental cells

16-Jul-2021 - For decades, scientists have tried to make reliable lithium-metal batteries. These high-performance storage cells hold 50% more energy than their prolific, lithium-ion cousins, but higher failure rates and safety problems like fires and explosions have crippled commercialization efforts. ...

Inside the battery in 3D

Powerful X-rays watch solid state batteries charging and discharging

08-Feb-2021 - Despite worldwide use of lithium batteries, the exact dynamics of their operation has remained elusive. X-rays have proven to be a powerful tool for peering inside of these batteries to see the changes that occur in real time. Using the ultrabright X-rays of the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a ...

Using neutrons and X-rays to analyse the ageing of lithium batteries

11-Feb-2020 - An international team has used neutron and X-ray tomography to investigate the dynamic processes that lead to capacity degradation at the electrodes in lithium batteries. Using a new mathematical method, it was possible to virtually unwind electrodes that had been wound into the form of a compact ...

Scientists learn more about the first hours of a lithium-ion battery's life

New technology enables nanoscale molecular view of self-assembling gateway structure within

07-Feb-2020 - The first hours of a lithium-ion battery's life largely determine just how well it will perform. In those moments, a set of molecules self-assembles into a structure inside the battery that will affect the battery for years to come. This component, known as the solid-electrolyte interphase or ...

A new method to study lithium dendrites could lead to better, safer batteries

14-Jan-2020 - Lithium ion batteries often grow needle-like structures between electrodes that can short out the batteries and sometimes cause fires. Now, an international team of researchers has found a way to grow and observe these structures to understand ways to stop or prevent their appearance. "It is ...

Nanoparticles in lithium-sulphur batteries detected with neutron experiment

09-Sep-2019 - An HZB team has for the first time precisely analysed how nanoparticles of lithium sulphide and sulphur precipitate onto battery electrodes during the course of the charging cycle. The results can help increase the service life of lithium-sulphur batteries. Lithium-sulphur batteries are regarded ...