- The researchers added a thin layer of carbon coating to the aluminum foil that conducts electric current in rechargeable batteries
- The finding has been recently published in the journal ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
According to a report by Yorktonthisweek, researchers from Western University have found that using the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan and adding a carbon-based layer to lithium-ion rechargeable batteries extends their life up to 50 per cent. The finding has been recently published in the journal ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
The report said that lead researcher Dr. Xia Li of Western University said that the team added a thin layer of carbon coating to the aluminum foil that conducts electric current in rechargeable batteries. The team found out that the carbon coating protected the aluminium foil from corrosion of electrolyte in both high voltage and high energy environments. This led to boosting the battery capacities up to 50 per cent more than batteries without the carbon coating.
Super-thin coating graphene used
As per the report, aluminium foil is commonly used on the cathode as a current collector where electricity leaves the battery of rechargeable lithium ion batteries. It has high electronic conductivity and it is lightweight and low cost. The new generation of batteries bring challenges to the current collectors which need more chemical stability to protect against the corrosion of electrolyte in the cathode. The team, instead of using new material for cathodes, tested a super-thin coating called graphene produced by 3M Canada. .
The report also added that the team used extremely bright X-rays at the CLS to identify what chemical changes occur on delicate battery surfaces while they are operating. The analysis done by the team showed that the carbon coating turned out to be effective in both high-voltage and high-energy environments.
