Researchers worldwide are looking into ways to enhance the performance of rechargeable lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries, which power everything from electric vehicles to laptops and phones.
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Researchers from China examine new options for the electrolyte, the conductive medium at the center of a battery, in an article published in the open-access Journal of Power Sources Advances.
The mixture of electrically charged particles (ions) in a battery’s electrolyte allows for the transfer of electric charge inside the battery. When a battery is used and recharged repeatedly, the electrolyte makes it possible for ions to move back and forth in both directions.
The identity and chemical makeup of an electrolyte’s negatively charged ions (anions) play a major role in determining its properties. Both enable the movement of positively…