Researchers in China claim to have achieved a significant breakthrough in lithium battery technology, doubling the energy density (the amount of energy a battery can store relative to its size and weight) of Tesla's most advanced batteries.
Lithium batteries are a crucial component for electric vehicles due to their high energy density, which allows them to store a large amount of energy in a relatively compact, lightweight package. This is essential for achieving a long driving range on a single charge.
Currently, Tesla's best batteries have an energy density of about 300 watt-hours per kilogram, while the battery developed by researchers at Tianjin University has an energy density of more than 600 watt-hours per kilogram. The greater the energy density, the smaller and lighter a battery can be, which can ultimately improve a vehicle's range and performance.
One of the problems with the current generation of lithium batteries is the liquid inside them, called the electrolyte, through which lithium ions travel. The issue is that the electrolyte can become "clogged" as each lithium ion is surrounded by others, creating a rigid, organized structure that limits the battery's efficiency, stability and performance.
Presenting their findings in the journal Nature, the Chinese researchers describe a novel solution. They created a new electrolyte with a more disorganized structure that allows the ions to move more freely.
"The delocalized electrolyte design overcomes the intrinsic constraints of conventional electrolytes by inducing a highly disordered solvation microenvironment, effectively reducing dynamic barriers, stabilizing interphases and offering substantial potential for transformative advances in battery performance," wrote the researchers.
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