Russian scientists have found a method to make lithium-ion batteries frost-resistant. Such batteries are used in various gadgets and electric vehicles, but they quickly discharge in the cold.
A team of scientists from the Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry named after A.N. Frumkin RAS, Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology and Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov developed battery cells based on germanium nanowires. Thanks to the use of this element, the battery capacity increases and it works effectively even at temperatures of -50 degrees, the authors reported.
The electrical charge that powers the batteries is transferred between two plates – the electrodes. In widespread lithium-ion batteries, one of them consists of graphite (anode), and the other consists of lithium-cobalt compounds or lithium-iron (electrode). Due to the laws of physics, in the cold, electrodes are less efficient in capturing and releasing lithium ions. The scientists concluded that the use of germanium nanowires for the anode instead of graphite would preserve the accumulated energy even at low temperatures.
“Graphene nanowires interact with electrolyte in batteries to create 10 different compounds with lithium. Thanks to this, the capacity of the material becomes five times higher than that of graphite in ordinary batteries on smartphones, ”said the project manager for a grant from the Russian Science Foundation, Ph.D. A.N. Frumkin RAS Ilya Gavrilin.
“Plus for the minus: a battery that does not discharge in the cold was created”
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
