Eco Factor: Replacing graphite anode with nano-silicon enhances current storage capacity of lithium-ion batteries.
The only factor preventing global adoption of electric cars is the limited driving range of cars running on lithium batteries. The reason for this limited performance is the low storage capacity of lithium batteries. A lithium battery consists of two parts – a lithium metal oxide cathode and a graphite anode. The graphite anode has a low capacity of storing lithium ions, which reduces the overall performance of lithium batteries.
Some South Korean scientists think that they have figured out a way to increase the current storage capacity of lithium batteries by replacing the conventional graphite cathodes with a nano-silicon material that acts as a sponge to hold ten times more lithium ions than conventional batteries, thereby enhancing the performance by ten times. Batteries made with this material allows for rapid charging and discharging and can also withstand more charging and discharging cycles.
The Dark Side:
Silicon easily cracks and pulverizes when it’s loaded with lithium ions. Scientists have to make sure that the nano-silicon material they are planning to use is free from this problem.
Via: Gas2
