Battery technology has emerged as a critical component in the new energy transition. As the world seeks more sustainable energy solutions, advancements in battery technology are transforming electric transportation, renewable energy integration, and grid resilience.
Their discovery could help scientists to develop better batteries, which would allow electric vehicles to run farther and last longer, while also advancing energy storage technologies that would accelerate the transition to clean energy. The findings were published Sept. 12 in the journal Science.
Then there might be improved lithium-ion batteries, maybe using silicon anodes or rocksalt cathodes, for mid-range vehicles, or perhaps solid-state lithium batteries will take over that class. Then there might be LiS or even lithium–air cells for high-end cars — or flying taxis. But there’s a lot of work yet to be done.
In addition, alternative batteries are being developed that reduce reliance on rare earth metals. These include solid-state batteries that replace the Li-Ion battery’s liquid electrolyte with a solid electrolyte, resulting in a more efficient and safer battery.
Batteries are effectively chemical sandwiches, which work by shuttling charged ions from one side (the anode) to the other (the cathode) through some intermediate material (the electrolyte) while electrons flow in an outside circuit. Recharging the battery means shunting the ions back to the anode (see ‘How a battery works’).
The findings were published Sept. 12 in the journal Science. “We are helping to advance lithium-ion batteries by figuring out the molecular level processes involved in their degradation,” said Michael Toney, the paper’s co-corresponding author and a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.