Carbon coating that extends lithium ion battery capacity by 50% could pave the way for next-generation batteries in electric vehicles.
Researchers from Western University, using the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan, found that adding a carbon-based layer to lithium-ion rechargeable batteries extends their life up to 50%.
The finding, recently published in the journal ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, tackles a problem many Canadians will be familiar with: rechargeable batteries gradually hold less charge over time.
“We added a thin layer of carbon coating to the aluminum foil that conducts electric current in rechargeable batteries,” said lead researcher Dr. Xia Li of Western University. “It was a small change, but we found the carbon coating protected the aluminum foil from corrosion of electrolyte in both high voltage and high energy environments – boosting the battery capacities up to 50% more than batteries without the carbon coating.”
>Read more on the Canadian Light Source website
Image: Dr. Li in the lab.