Source: by By Ян Заболотний/ adobe stock file # 872713802
Background
Lithium-ion batteries, crucial for electronics, electric vehicles, and energy storage, require faster charging times to meet user needs and efficiency goals. The main issue is in the battery electrodes, where making paths for ions to move quickly is difficult. Current methods to enhance these paths are expensive and often ineffective, resulting in batteries that don't perform consistently. There's a significant need for new techniques that can make this process cheaper and more reliable, ensuring batteries charge quickly and work well on a larger scale.
Description
Northeastern researchers have created a technology aimed at enhancing the fast-charging capabilities of lithium-ion batteries by simplifying the electrode structure to allow quicker ion movement. The approach involves a combination of screen printing and battery electrode manufacturing to produce low-tortuosity electrodes for fast-charging LIBs. Through the design and creation of a series of tailored channels for the cathode they have demonstrated a significant improvement in charge capacity, as well as enhanced ion-transfer kinetics on the electrodes. This roll-to-roll screen printing approach addresses the challenges of high production costs, low yields, and the difficulty in precisely controlling channel formation within the electrodes. By focusing on efficient, cost-effective processes and materials to establish clear ion pathways, the technology promises to significantly improve charging times. This advancement represents a leap towards overcoming the limitations of existing fast-charging techniques, paving the way for more reliable and scalable lithium-ion battery solutions.
Benefits
- Accelerated Charging Rates for Lithium-Ion Batteries
- Enhanced Energy Storage Efficiency
- Improved Production Yields
- Reduced Manufacturing Costs
- Refined Precision in Electrode Design
Applications
- Electric Vehicles (EVs): Utilizing rapid-charging batteries to reduce downtime and increase convenience for users.
- Portable Electronics: Enhancing the performance and user experience of smartphones, laptops, and other mobile devices through high-efficiency power sources.
- Energy Storage Systems: Implementing scalable solutions for capturing and storing renewable energy, thereby stabilizing grids, and supporting sustainable energy use.
- Power Tools: Improving the functionality of electric power tools with quick recharge cycles, increasing productivity and efficiency in construction, manufacturing, and home improvement projects.
- Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS): Providing reliable backup power to ensure continuous operation of critical systems and devices during power outages.
Opportunity
- License
- Research collaboration
IP Status
- Provisional patent filed.
Seeking
- Development Partner
- Commercial Partner
- Licensing
