Scientists Could Create Improved Batteries Using Egg-Shaped Electrodes
Cernescu Andrei / 9 years ago
The biggest problem that our gadgets have right now is not related to storage capacity or computing power, but to battery power and longevity. Fortunately, a team of scientists at MIT and Tsinghua University are hard at work developing a nanoparticle battery electrode that could dramatically increase the lifespan of our batteries. The nano-sized particle is shaped like an egg and is composed of a shape-changing aluminum “yolk” housed in a titanium dioxide cell. Due to its shape and unique composition, the cell can power through numerous charging cycles without degrading like the graphite electrodes used in regular power packs.
The successful implementation of the nano-sized “yolks” could enable the creation of improved batteries, which could pave the way for even more powerful gadgets in the future. Even though this is still nothing more than a lab experiment at this point, a practical implementation is not too far off. Manufacturing these cells is easy enough and the materials used for it are not hard at all to find. The cells have been through rigorous testing sessions already and proved that they can handle increased amounts of stress without too many issues. A particularly impressive test unit still had just over half of its capacity after 500 super-fast charging cycles.
Thank you Engadget for providing us with this information.