Nanotech promises lithium ion battery boost

Carbon nanotubes can prevent batteries losing charge capacity

Robert Jaques

Scientists have unveiled details of how nanotechnology could improve the life of lithium ion batteries.

Research to be published in the International Journal of Nanomanufacturing demonstrates that carbon nanotubes can prevent such batteries from losing their charge capacity.

Advertisement

Researchers at the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science in China aimed to eliminate the degradation suffered by traditional lithium ion batteries when they get too hot or too cold.

The scientists noted that the slow degradation of lithium ion batteries is usually due to the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase film that increase the batteries' internal resistance and prevents a full recharge.

Researchers have suggested using silicon in the composition of the negative electrode material to improve charge capacity.

However, this material leads to even faster capacity loss as it repeatedly alloys and then de-alloys during charge/discharge cycles.

Hui-Ming Cheng and his Shenyang colleagues have turned to carbon nanotubes to help them use silicon as the battery anode but avoid the problem of large volume change during alloying and de-alloying.

The researchers grew carbon nanotubes on the surface of tiny particles of silicon using a technique known as chemical vapour deposition in which a carbon-containing vapour decomposes and then condenses on the surface of the silicon particles forming the nanoscopic tubes.

They then coated these particles with carbon released from sugar at a high temperature in a vacuum. A separate batch of silicon particles produced using sugar but without the carbon nanotubes was also prepared.

They found that after 20 cycles of the semi-cell experiments, the sugar-coated silicon/carbon nanotubes composite material achieved a discharge capacity of 727 milliamp hours per gram.

In contrast the charge capacity of the simple sugar-coated particles had dropped to just 363 milliamp hours per gram.

  • Have your say
  • Send to a friend
  • Print
  • Digg
  • Reddit
  • Share

Do you agree?

Further reading

Boffins build non-flammable lithium ion battery

Polymer electrolyte makes batteries much safer

Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai

Intel unveils second-gen Classmate PC

New 'netbook' to help developing areas

Intel introduces new Atom line-up

Processors aimed squarely at mobile internet devices

Japan investigates iPod Nano fire

400,000 Apple products possibly affected

Related whitepapers

Related jobs

Most watched

Salesforce.com on the new Chatter service

Company explains the need for collaboration service

t-mobile logo

V3.co.uk weekly debrief, 20 Nov 09

This week we round up the major vendor conference events, plus T-Mobile sells customer data

Analysis and Reports

Remote access - Three steps to getting connected

3.4 million UK professionals now work from home – is your company equipped?

Cost benefits of a global collaboration network

This white paper is a must read for organisations looking for evidence of the bottom-line benefits of high-definition video and voice communications

Poll

Impact of Information Overload poll

Impact of Information Overload poll

What is the biggest problem your firm faces as a result of the data explosion?

View poll results

Advertisement

White paper library

Keep up to date with the latest products, services and technologies from the world's leading IT companies; IThound.com brings you over 6,000 white papers, case studies and analyst reports.

Advertisement

Newsletter signup

Sign up for our range of FREE newsletters:

Existing User

Newsletter user login:

Enter email address to edit your newsletter preferences

Job of the week

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Hiring now on ComputingCareers:

Related IT jobs

Search thousands of IT jobs :

Search thousands of IT jobs:

Advanced search

Advertisement

Spotlight

t-mobile logo

V3.co.uk weekly debrief, 20 Nov 09

This week we round up the major vendor conference events,...

Apple iPhone apps

Top 10 articles, 20 Nov 2009

An App Store upset for Apple, and a scandal at...

Biz Stone

Twitter founder details commercial account plans

Biz Stone says paid-for accounts will give users access to...

Cloud computing

Enisa launches comprehensive cloud security report

EU security agency provides checklist for firms looking to vet...

Primary Navigation