Charging faster than you reach for the cable: Chinese scientists have developed a new material that can charge a battery to 70 per cent in just 45 seconds
Chinese scientists have developed a new material for lithium-ion batteries that can charge them up to 70 per cent in just 45 seconds.
Here's What We Know
The development is based on niobium-tungsten oxide with a unique atomic structure that adapts to high charging speeds.
During fast charging, lithium ions are chaotically distributed, reducing the deformation of the crystal lattice and increasing their mobility, which speeds up the process.
For further optimisation, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has been added to the electrode surface to direct the ions to the right spots, further improving charging efficiency.
A prototype battery with this material (rGO/Nb₁₆W₅O₅₅₅) achieves a capacity of 116 mAh/g at 80°C in 45 seconds and retains 77% of its capacity after 500 fast charging cycles. The energy density of such a battery is 406 Wh/kg.
However, there is still a long way to go before the invention can be commercialised. As the electrode thickness increases, its efficiency decreases, which limits the capacity of the battery. In addition, existing electrolytes are not fully compatible with such high charging rates. So it's too early to expect smartphones with instant charging, but the technology is sure to get improvements soon.
Source: Nanowerk
