Scientists from Saratov State University in Russia have developed a new material that will improve the charging process of batteries and significantly increase their capacity.
A statement issued by the Russian Association of Sciences said: "Scientists at Saratov State University in Russia have used computer modeling to develop a new material that could allow the charging of modern batteries to be accelerated by 1.5 times and their capacity to be increased fivefold. According to preliminary data, a battery containing this material will not lose its properties at low and high temperatures, which will enable the development of more advanced power systems for smartphones, laptops and electric cars."
The statement explained that the processes of storing and discharging charge in a modern battery are opposing processes related to the direction of movement of charged particles (lithium ions) within the battery. Therefore, the charging speed depends on the speed at which these particles move between the electrodes, while the battery capacity depends on the amount of lithium ions that one electrode can store. The materials that act as the charge "reservoir" often have high capacity, but they are sensitive to very low or very high temperatures. Furthermore, these electrode materials, which are based on lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO₂), lose their properties with repeated charging and discharging cycles. This explains why some smartphones swell and quickly lose power after years of use
To improve the "storage" electrode material in batteries, scientists at Saratov National University proposed adding graphene – a carbon material that can be "stretched" to a layer one atom thick. Using computer simulations, the researchers discovered that alternating layers of graphene and LiCoO₂ produces a more efficient material for batteries.
Scientists at the university discovered that the structure in which the ratio of cobalt oxide to lithium to graphene is 8 times that of mass provides the best movement of ions – 1.6 times faster than pure cobalt oxide. Consequently, charging this battery will be much faster, and the capacity of this material has increased by more than five times, and it has not decreased even when cooled to -40 degrees Celsius or heated to +80 degrees Celsius.
