Engineers at Rice University may have found a way to make lithium-ion batteries even more efficient. According to reports, researchers have developed an advanced “prelithiation” technique that helps reduce lithium loss and improves the life cycle of a battery. With this new method, the battery life of phones, tablets, and other lithium-ion powered devices is expected to increase.
With the new method, the battery life of technological devices will increase
In the optimized prelithiation technique, the process relies on coating silicon anodes with a more stable lithium metal particle. The development was carried out by a chemical and biomolecular engineer at Rice laboratory, who sprayed a layer of particle mixture onto the anodes.
Engineer Sibani Lisa Biswal found that down-spraying the anodes improved the battery life by 22 to 44 percent. Additionally, battery cells with a higher amount of coating could achieve greater efficiency. This development is truly significant and could completely change the way we use battery-operated devices in our daily lives.
Phones, smartwatches, and various other battery-powered products rely on lithium-based batteries to generate the electricity they need. By enhancing the efficiency of these lithium batteries through particle spraying, the battery life can be improved in many applications. If this development is embraced by manufacturers, one of the most anticipated outcomes would be an increase in the battery life of smartphones.
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Despite having many advantages, the study also has its drawbacks. When operated at full capacity (charged up to 100 percent), batteries actually started to deplete more rapidly in subsequent cycles due to the particles on their surface. Of course, other advancements can contribute to making batteries more efficient. For instance, replacing graphite with silicon in lithium-ion batteries can provide better energy density.
However, the silicon in batteries, such as the new particle spray that enhances the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries, also has some downsides. The major issue here is that silicon can form a solid electrolyte interphase that consumes lithium and thus rapidly depletes the battery. Nevertheless, if this issue can be addressed, the use of silicon in these new particles and lithium-ion batteries could potentially lead to longer-lasting and more reliable batteries.
