Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers are pioneering a new study in which they have developed a type of nanomaterial that could spark a new generation of Lithium ion batteries for electric automobiles, laptop computers, mobile phones, and other devices.
Called ‘nanoscoop’, it can withstand extremely high rates of charge and discharge, thanks to its unique material composition, structure, and size.
Professor Nikhil Koratkar and his team demonstrated how a nanoscoop electrode could be charged and discharged at a rate 40 to 60 times faster than conventional battery over 100 continuous charge/discharge cycles.
“Charging my laptop or cell phone in a few minutes, rather than an hour, sounds pretty good to me,” said Mr. Koratkar.
“Moreover, this technology could potentially be ramped up to suit the demanding needs of batteries for electric automobiles. Due to their nanoscale size, our nanoscoops can soak and release Li at high rates far more effectively than the macroscale anodes used in today’s Li-ion batteries,” said Mr. Koratkar.
One limitation is the relatively low total mass of the electrode, he added. But the team’s next steps are to try growing longer scoops with greater mass, or develop a method for stacking layers of nanoscoops on top of each other.
Results of the study were published in the journal Nano Letters.
