Scientists from the University of Oxford and partner institutions have created a new class of organic materials called state-independent electrolytes (SIEs).
This discovery challenges a fundamental rule of electrochemistry: that ions move much more slowly when a liquid solidifies.
Interestingly, SIEs maintain peak ionic performance, moving charges through solid structures at the same effortless fluid speed as in liquid form.
“We’ve shown that organic materials can be engineered so that the movement of ions doesn’t ‘freeze out’ when the material solidifies. This opens new possibilities for safer, lightweight solid-state devices that work efficiently over wide temperature ranges,” said Juliet Barclay, PhD student and first author on the study.
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