As a source of energy for electric vehicles and many other forms of environmentally friendly transport, improvements in battery technology should improve their performance in a number of important ways. And it’s not just about increasing autonomy, but also about how well such batteries can work at sub-zero temperatures. Low temperatures can be quite problematic for Lithium Ion batteries, resulting in significant loss of capacity. But Chinese scientists have their own solution to this problem.
While some researchers suggest using built-in temperature sensors that redirect electrical currents to heat batteries from the inside, others insist that such nuances be taken into account in the design of the next generation of batteries. In the second case, the scientists focused on one of the two electrodes in a lithium-ion battery, known as the anode. It is typically made from graphite, and recent research has shown that the flat nature of these anodes contributes to a reduction in the battery’s ability to transfer energy in cold temperatures. The new battery design uses ZIF-67 material, known as a cobalt-containing zeolite imidazolate framework, heated to a high temperature. Its tiny structures have a rough surface and are excellent at transferring electrical charge, so they can be used as an anode in a battery.
Experiments have shown that such a battery can remain stable during charging and discharging at temperatures ranging from 25 °C to -20 °C. At temperatures just below zero, the battery retained 85.9% of its capacity. In parallel, other lithium-ion batteries were also tested, which almost did not hold a charge at sub-zero temperatures. Even with temperatures as low as -35°C, the bumpy anode battery could still charge and release nearly all of its charge during discharge.
The scientists believe that this design could extend the functionality of lithium-ion batteries in extreme conditions. This applies not only to electric vehicles, but also to aircraft and even spacecraft.
Source: Trash Box
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