Scientists from the University of California in Los Angeles have made a significant breakthrough in improving the safety and efficiency of lithium-metal batteries. Through their research, they have discovered a technique that prevents corrosion during lithium precipitation and have also found that lithium atoms form a unique 12-sided figure, reducing the risk of explosions. This groundbreaking innovation has the potential to revolutionize lithium battery technology.
Currently, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are widely used in smartphones, electric cars, and solar and wind energy storage systems. Although lithium-metal batteries can store twice as much energy, they also come with a higher risk of fire or explosion.
In a recent study published in the journal Nature on August 2, scientists have developed a new technique that allows lithium to precipitate faster than corrosion can form. To expedite this process, the researchers passed current through a smaller electrode, enabling the growth of lithium with minimal corrosion.
A major discovery from this research is that lithium atoms arrange themselves into a unique 12-sided figure called a rhombic dodecahedron, similar to the pieces in board games.
Uzla Yuzhan Li, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, stated, “This discovery has caused us to reconsider our understanding of the mechanisms behind the function of lithium-metal batteries.”
It is worth noting that lithium-metal batteries contain 10 times more lithium in the same volume compared to lithium-ion batteries. This explains the increase in productivity but also the heightened danger associated with these batteries.
By uncovering this new form of lithium, there is hope that the risk of explosions in lithium-metal batteries can be reduced, providing a significant boost to the development of high-performance energy technology.