Lithium-ion Batteries

In News

• Indian researchers have discovered a new anode material, which could be helpful in ensuring the life and fast charging of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

About the new study 

• The study is carried out by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar in collaboration with the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST).
• The new two-dimensional (2D) anode material is developed using Nano sheets derived from titanium diboride (TiB2), which resemble a stack of sandwiches, where metal molecules exist between layers of boron. 
  • This innovation has potential for translation from lab to real-life application.
• Working
  • LIBs have the anode material as the negative electrode, which is attached to the cathode material in the Li-ion battery cell. 
  • The anode materials in a lithium-ion cell act as the host, enabling lithium-ion intercalation/de-intercalation during the battery’s charge or discharge cycle.
• Comparison

• LIBs with Graphite anode are extremely energy dense, and can power an electric vehicle for hundreds of kilometres on a single charge. However, it has its challenges on the safety front as they are prone to fire hazards.
• Lithium Titanate anodes are safer and more preferred alternatives and they also facilitate fast charging. But, they have a lower energy density, so they would need more frequent recharging.
• Li-Ion batteries enabled by nanosheets based anode material have an edge as they offer ultra-fast charging time, long life cycle (10,000 cycles at high charge currents), and nanosheets used to prepare the anode have a high density of pores.

Source: DTE