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Pure metallic lithium has enormous energy potential. However, it is necessary to brake the batteries so that the energy can be used in a controlled, safe and on-demand manner. Batteries need an internal structure that allows them to charge and then use that energy. Much depends on the architecture of the battery, including the use of the potential of lithium.
A new advance in battery architecture will allow the creation of elements that will exceed current capacity by up to 10 times / photo Dnn87.
One of the most important limiting factors in lithium ion batteries today is dendrites. These are needle-like particles that begin to grow on the surface of the anode when the battery is charged. Over time, those needles reach the next electrode in the battery and thus the battery reaches the end of its useful life (or burns out). So now researchers are looking at how to solve the dendrite problem. And there are already a number of creative solutions, but they are not easy and cheap to implement yet.
Now, South Korean scientists believe they have solved the dendrite problem with the help of a well-known metal: lithium. Yes, the same lithium that is still used in the production of lithium-ion batteries. However, that new lithium is different: it is extremely thin.
The researchers started from a very fine lithium metal powder, which, together with lithium nitrate, made it possible to create an ultra-fine anode whose surface is not suitable for dendritic formations. The experimental battery was stable for more than 450 cycles and was 87 percent during the experiment. his capacity. Its efficiency was 96 percent. These numbers may not sound impressive, but this was not a mass-produced battery. If this technology were to reach factories, a new battery would be more accurate and durable than the one tested in the laboratory.
The researchers believe this could lead to larger lithium metal, lithium-sulfur, and lithium-air batteries. Its capacity would potentially be 10 times greater than that of current lithium-ion batteries. Also, by avoiding dendrites, they could last longer. Although, of course, a lot of research will be needed before scientists can develop batteries that can be put into series production or at least tested on a larger scale.
Prepared by: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.202003769
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