Despite lithium-ion (Li) batteries’ role as one of the most widely used forms of energy storage, they struggle to operate at full power in low temperatures and sometimes even explode at high temperatures.
Despite lithium-ion (Li) batteries’ role as one of the most widely used forms of energy storage, they struggle to operate at full power in low temperatures and sometimes even explode at high temperatures. Researchers at Penn State, however, have proposed a design that could hold the key to effective and stable power storage in a variety of climates.
The research, which was published today (Nov. 5) in Joule, investigated a state-of-the-art Li battery design known as an all-climate battery (ACB). Previous design approaches have proven incapable of simultaneously improving efficiency at lower temperatures and increasing stability at higher temperatures — there has always been a tradeoff. Refining and building upon a decade of battery research, the team devised a novel development method that allows ACBs to offer stable and efficient performance over a wide range of temperatures.
According to Chao-Yang Wang, professor of mechanical engineering, of chemical engineering and principal investigator on the project, Li batteries were never intended to operate in the wide range of applications they support today. The devices were originally designed for personal electronics at moderate temperatures, specifically around 25 degrees Celsius (C), or slightly above room temperature.
Read more at: Penn State University
A new battery design, proposed by researchers at Penn State, could allow lithium-ion batteries to perform well in any climate by using optimized materials and an internal heating system. (Photo Credit: Wen-Ke Zhang/Provided Chao-Yang Wang)
