Nondestructive sensing and failure diagnosis can turn hidden aging signals into actionable health information for lithium-ion batteries. The review proposes a unified framework connecting degradation mechanisms, internal physical signals, and state estimation to guide smart battery management system design.
Researchers at Rice University have designed a softer porous material that selectively transports lithium ions and can help improve contact with battery electrodes. The material, ZnBTCA, combines efficient ion movement with better mechanical adaptability, offering a new approach to porous solid electrolytes.
Binghamton University professor Mohammad Younis leads a project to develop an ultrasensitive gas detection MEMS device with autonomous actuation to detect thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries. The device features a vibrating wire and thermal conductivity principle, and can be self-contained and act autonomously
Researchers at the University of Waterloo developed a new electrode design that increases the performance of redox flow batteries by 52% by using triply periodic minimal surface geometries. This innovation enables more efficient storage of renewable energy, addressing the intermittency of wind and solar power.
Researchers have discovered a new material, LLNOF, with a record-high conductivity of seven millisiemens per centimeter, comparable to liquid electrolytes. The material's high conductivity is due to a dynamic interplay among four atomic sites that form a tetrahedron around the fluoride ion.
Researchers at SwRI will use a plasma reactor to convert waste CO2 into solid carbon for a domestic graphite supply, reducing reliance on foreign imports. The team aims to produce graphite through a process that involves tuning the CO2 molecule to remove oxygen atoms and solidify into carbon allotropes.
A new evaluation framework helps bridge the lab-to-manufacturing gap for battery prelithiation technologies. The framework assesses eight prelithiation strategies across eight dimensions, enabling informed industrial technology selection.
Researchers at TU Graz have introduced oxygen vacancies into lithium titanate, transforming it into a high-performance battery material. The defects activate a previously blocked migration pathway for lithium ions, enhancing ion transport and conductivity.
Researchers at Graz University of Technology developed design guidelines for batteries in electric vehicles to increase safety, make repairs easier, and improve sustainability. The new designs facilitate recycling and reuse of damaged cells, reducing waste and conserving resources.
Halide cathode materials, long overlooked due to dissolution in liquid electrolytes, now enable dramatically higher energy densities through a fundamental shift in battery chemistry. Key strategies include multi-electron reactions, protective coatings, and nanostructuring to address stability issues.
Researchers developed a lean-lithium oxychloride solid electrolyte with high ionic conductivity and tunable properties. The interfacial percolation strategy enabled the creation of a continuous transport network throughout the electrolyte, allowing for efficient lithium-ion migration.
The study introduced an interphase activator strategy that couples both processes through one additive, converting native surface species into a reconstructed interphase and regulating the coordination environment in the polymer phase. The optimized electrolyte delivers high ionic conductivity and stability, making it suitable for soli...
A new study using remote sensing and machine learning found that mining for green technology minerals has unexpected consequences on biodiversity. The research revealed that commodities such as lithium and cobalt have the highest biodiversity risks despite lower levels of forest loss.
Researchers discovered that lithium ions move through cooperative rearrangement of 'ion cages' formed by surrounding anions, not the previously proposed paddle-wheel mechanism. This finding provides new guidelines for designing safe and high-performance solid electrolytes.
Scientists at Tohoku University identified an optimal lithium concentration that allows for even lithium deposition and a stronger protective layer on the battery's surface. This discovery enables the development of safer, longer-lasting, high-energy-density rechargeable batteries.
Researchers developed defect-rich silicon-carbon composite anodes with initial discharge capacities exceeding 6,500 mAh g⁻¹, outperforming conventional silicon-anode expectations. AI-assisted design optimized the formulation, revealing a trade-off between capacity and efficiency.
Researchers will address the unstable interface between lithium metal anode and solid electrolyte by engineering ultra-thin films to reduce degradation and resistance. The goal is to improve reliability and stability of solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, enabling faster charging and greater energy storage potential.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a safer metal recycling method for the battery industry using renewable biomass, reducing the risk of fire and hazardous substance exposure. The new method performs just as well as conventional processes in extracting important metals.
A Korean research team identified surface oxidation occurring during dehydration as the true cause of performance degradation in promising next-generation battery materials. They developed a new liquid-phase bubbling dehydration process that suppresses surface oxidation and improves battery performance.
A team of UTEP researchers has created a printable gel polymer electrolyte that can be 3D-printed in any shape. The material performed similarly to conventional electrolytes and showed optimal performance at a specific recipe ratio, paving the way for flexible battery design.
University of Michigan researchers developed a framework to help stakeholders consider economic, environmental, and social trade-offs in EV battery development. The framework aims to balance the needs of various stakeholders, including manufacturers, drivers, and recyclers, to achieve better outcomes for batteries and electric vehicles.
A new battery management system developed in the EU project Nemo enables early damage detection and extends service life of electric car batteries. The system uses advanced sensor technology to monitor battery cells and predict aging, reducing the risk of internal short circuits and thermal peaks.
Researchers developed nanotube membranes that enable ultrafast ion transport, opening new pathways for high-efficiency clean energy generation and lithium recovery. The discovery shows boron nitride nanotubes selectively move lithium ions faster than expected, with potential applications in blue energy generation and battery recycling.
A new adaptive charging strategy for lithium-ion batteries reduces battery degradation and improves efficiency. The strategy uses real-time monitoring and adjusts charging currents to prevent lithium plating, resulting in improved charge capacity utilisation and charging efficiency.
Researchers find popular sodium-ion battery matches performance parameters and production quality of Tesla's lithium-ion batteries. Tweaking the Hina battery to charge more effectively at low temperatures could provide a cost-effective alternative for future electric vehicle batteries.
A new Northwestern University study finds that most proposed US lithium mines could face significant water shortages, posing challenges to the country's growing industry. Climate change and competition for resources exacerbate existing water stress in areas like southern California and Nevada.
Researchers at MIT have developed a low-temperature process to extract battery-grade lithium from hard rock minerals, minimizing waste and costs. The closed-loop system can produce useful materials, including lithium salts, alumina, and silica, with an estimated cost reduction of half compared to traditional methods.
Researchers at the University of Rochester developed a solar-thermal desalination process that produces fresh water in an energy-efficient way, eliminating brine and requiring no chemical additives. The technology extracts nearly 100% of salts in solid form, producing table salt and precious minerals like lithium.
Researchers have overcome key safety and durability barriers in sodium-ion batteries by using a simple additive of graphitic carbon nitride. The additive promotes flexible, disordered zones where sodium ions move more freely and reduces polarisation, improving battery efficiency and stability. This breakthrough opens a scalable pathway...
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute develop a one-step molten salt upcycling process to transform spent nickel cathodes into high-performance materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. This approach reduces recycling costs and energy demands while increasing the value of recovered materials.
The City University of Hong Kong has developed a new generation of aqueous zinc-based batteries offering improved safety, higher power, lower cost and environmental sustainability. The breakthrough addresses large-scale energy storage challenges, providing ideal backup power for data centers.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology developed an AI method that adapts fast charging to the health of the battery, increasing its lifespan by almost 23%. The new strategy uses reinforcement learning and takes into account the battery's chemistry and state of health.
Scientists analyzed a TiS2|Li3YCl6 half-cell in operando at BESSY II and discovered that intrinsic oxygen causes rapid capacity loss. Oxygen-containing species migrate to the cathode current collector, forming an amorphous layer rich in titanium oxides.
A team of Rice University researchers has developed a faster and more energy-efficient way to recover critical minerals from spent lithium-ion batteries. The new method uses aqueous solutions of amino chlorides, which can extract valuable metals in minutes rather than hours.
Max Planck researchers have discovered how microscopic dendrites induce fractures in solid-state batteries, leading to short circuits. By understanding the counterintuitive phenomenon of dendrite formation, they've identified potential strategies to prevent or delay cracking.
The review maps the most promising routes for recycling spent LiFePO4 batteries, focusing on pretreatment, impurity control, direct regeneration, hydrometallurgy, and selective auxiliary processes. It highlights hydrometallurgy as a promising strategy for large-scale recovery needs.
Professor Shirley Meng will lead NTU's industry engagement efforts, forging partnerships with global companies and establishing joint research institutes worldwide. She brings expertise in integrated battery performance, safety, and sustainability, driving interdisciplinary collaborations and championing fundamental sciences for real-w...
Recent progress in advanced energy manufacturing highlights 3D printing's potential to redefine next-generation lithium batteries. The technology enables precise control over three-dimensional structures, improving ion-transport pathways and mechanical robustness.
Researchers have developed an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) identification algorithm to reconstruct EIS at low frequencies using short-duration sine-wave current pulses. The approach enables accurate state-of-charge estimation for LiFePO4 batteries, which is essential for battery management systems.
Researchers propose an efficient feature search approach for estimating lithium-ion battery state of health, reducing reliance on manually selected aging features. The method combines Bayesian optimization and ensemble regression to improve accuracy and robustness.
Researchers propose a Fourier graph neural network to estimate lithium-ion battery state of health, capturing spatial and temporal feature relationships. The model achieves significant reductions in error compared to existing methods, suggesting improved accuracy and transferability.
Researchers developed a rapid battery-capacity estimation method using early voltage response during the first discharge cycle. The approach extracts electrochemical signatures related to battery condition and enhances features to improve prediction accuracy, reducing testing time by over 80%.
Battery performance is critical to electrified transportation and green energy systems. Real-world diagnostics are challenging due to complex environments and varying data quality. The review emphasizes the need for adaptive models and AI integration to improve battery status prediction.
A novel active equalization scheme uses path planning to address cell inconsistency in battery packs, improving equalization speed, accuracy, and robustness. The approach combines flexible topology with graph-based energy-transfer modeling and adaptive battery grouping to reduce energy loss and improve overall pack performance.
The integrated framework combines incremental capacity analysis with image feature transformation and a hybrid machine-learning pipeline to improve SOH estimation accuracy. It achieves an RMSE of 1.76% on the NASA dataset and shows robustness when operating conditions shift, suggesting better generalization across different datasets.
Researchers developed a three-dimensional electro-thermo-mechanical model to quantify the swelling force generated by lithium-ion batteries during charging. The model accurately identifies and quantifies swelling force, offering a new tool for improving battery safety.
Researchers have developed a multi-fidelity framework combining coupled degradation mechanisms with machine learning to predict battery lifespan. The framework addresses the challenge of making reliable forecasts before long-term aging data are available, enabling safer operation and better-informed decision-making.
Researchers developed a two-step diagnostic strategy to detect subtle abnormal behavior in lithium-ion batteries. The method combines Hellinger distance with an Inverse Markov Method to identify micro short circuits that can lead to serious safety failures and thermal runaway.
Researchers have discovered that lithium dendrites in batteries are unexpectedly strong and brittle, causing short circuits and safety risks. The findings suggest that future battery design must change to improve safety and reliability of high-energy storage systems.
A team of researchers has developed rechargeable batteries using biomass-based materials, including sunflower seed shells, as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries. The batteries achieved competitive results with low environmental impact and can store sufficient energy.
Binghamton University Distinguished Professor M. Stanley Whittingham has been elected as an AAAS Fellow for his groundbreaking work on intercalation chemistry and its applications to lithium-ion batteries. This honor recognizes his contributions to advancing science and promoting scientific progress.
Researchers developed a novel lithium-ion battery anode that stores more than 3500 milliampere-hours per gram, outperforming current graphite-based batteries. The new design, VISiCNT, features a vertically integrated silicon-carbon nanotube structure that maintains performance and stability over hundreds of charge cycles.
Researchers discovered that faster dendrite growth is associated with lower stress levels in a commonly used battery electrolyte material, revealing chemical reactions as a new culprit behind the problem. The study provides guidance for designing stronger electrolytes to make solid-state batteries successful.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a new method to recover nearly all critical minerals from spent lithium-ion batteries, including metals like lithium and graphite. The process uses microwave-induced plasma treatment with room-temperature solvents, resulting in high recovery rates and minimal environmental impact.
The NSF Energy Storage Engine has received $45 million over three years to advance next-gen battery and energy storage systems. It will focus on safety, cost efficiency, and AI integration in manufacturing.
Researchers directly measured lithium dendrites' mechanical strength, finding they exhibit unexpectedly high strength and brittle behavior under stress. The study provides insights into how dendrites respond to physical stresses within a battery cell, shedding light on the challenge of scale and access that hindered previous research.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis developed an operando microscopy platform to study lithium plating in batteries. The platform revealed the conditions under which plating occurs, allowing for the development of performance maps to optimize fast-charging protocols and enhance battery performance.
UT Austin researcher Arumugam Manthiram is working to advance lithium-ion battery technology by understanding the chemistry of oxide cathodes. His research aims to develop more efficient and environmentally friendly battery materials, addressing supply chain disruptions and high costs.
Developing high-performance Ni-rich cathode materials is crucial for achieving single-cell energy densities exceeding 400 Wh kg‑. A research team synthesized quinary full-concentration-gradient cathodes using an in-situ co-precipitation strategy, featuring a Mn-rich, Ni-poor surface and radially aligned primary particles.
A new method allows for precise visualization of modern polymer binders in negative lithium-ion battery electrodes. The study found that small changes in binder distribution can significantly affect charging efficiency and battery lifespan.