Most batteries powering laptops, phones and electric vehicles shuttle lithium ions between their electrodes as they charge and discharge. The more of these ions battery makers pack in, theoretically the more energy they store. But there is a catch. Because they are only able to release half these ions and this limits the extent of their usefulness.
The Secret Life of Lithium-Rich Batteries Exposed
Conventional lithium batteries work that way because their cathodes have alternating layers of lithium, teamed with nickel or cobalt. And their lithium ions “snag” a metal atom every time they travel to the anode. This process is necessary before electrical energy can pass between commercial lithium battery terminals.
Stanford University scientists have experimented with new, alternative lithium-rich batteries to understand the process. They have been sharing ideas with SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. As a result they now have what they call a “foundational understanding of how lithium-rich batteries are like “super absorbent sponges”.
Watch a Lithium Rich Battery in Action
What the Scientists Discovered about Lithium-Rich Batteries
“An unusual feature of lithium-rich cathodes is the electron comes from the oxygen rather than the transition metal.” A SLAC National Laboratory co-author goes on to explain “Moreover this process, called oxygen oxidation, enables cathodes to extract about 90 percent of the lithium.
“Plus this is at a high enough voltage that it boosts the energy stored in the battery.” Phys Org magazine adds. “Yanking the electron from oxygen makes it want to form another bond.” And then transition metal atoms have to move around to accommodate that bond, changing the atomic structure.
“Oxygen oxidation giving rise to extra energy density … is therefore potentially a game changer in electric vehicles,” the researchers promise. We are excited with their findings and we wish them every success in future.
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