New Chinese injections give lithium EV batteries 12,000 extra cycles
Scientists in China have made an incredible breakthrough with a series of injections that could expand the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries for EVs by up to 12,000 cycles.
Researchers working for the Fudan University in China have successfully created a brand-new method for reducing waste and improving the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries designed for EVs.
This multi-institutional team of materials scientists, molecular engineers, and chemists have worked together to develop a series of lithium-ion battery injections. Their study has already been formally published in the Nature scientific journal.
It represents an enormous breakthrough in dealing with the shortcomings of lithium-ion batteries. Usually, these batteries form lithium ion deposits that reduce the overall lithium concentration within batteries, eventually making them unusable.
China’s scientists decided to take a new approach by treating battery degradation as a treatable condition. They found that the natural degradation of lithium-ion batteries mirrors medical diseases in humans. They found that a single malfunctioning key component deteriorated while the rest of the system functioned.
It’s this approach that led them to finding a solution that addressed the malfunctioning component specifically to restore batteries to their full functionality. Fudan University’s team then developed a series of specialized materials to restore lost lithium ions.
Their lithium-ion battery injections have incorporated a carrier molecule that could be injected into a failing battery. Key to its success is the molecule’s ability to dissolve within the battery without disrupting its function while being fully compatible with other materials within the battery.
The LiSO2CF3 molecule met all compatibility requirements and was relatively inexpensive to use in a commercial battery. Testing of this molecule involved injecting it into targeted regions of the battery. They found that the injections resulted in the average battery cycle growing by up to 12,000 cycles.
It’s a great leap forward for sustainability within the EV business. The injections are expected to slash environmental pollution by reducing how many batteries are discarded every year. Moreover, since these batteries are used in functions beyond EVs, it’s expected that they could become a regular part of our society as we push toward reducing how much electronic waste we produce.
However, it’s crucial to mention that these injections are still unavailable commercially. With testing complete, it will be interesting where the technology goes and whether we will see it used outside of China in the years to come.
