A lithium-ion battery breakthrough using tiny silicon particles and a gel polymer may lead to electric vehicles that can travel around 1000 km, or over 600 miles, on a single charge, scientists say.
Drivers have consistently reported suffering from range anxiety – or fear about how long a car’s battery will last – as one of the main reasons preventing their complete switch to electric vehicles.
To counter this fear, research teams across the world are exploring new electrode designs to boost electric vehicle (EV) battery capabilities.
Researchers have been attempting to use silicon as an electrode material in lithium-ion batteries for EVs due to its high charge storage capacity.
However, this has remained a challenge as silicon expands by more than three times during charging, and contracts back to its original size while discharging, severely damaging the efficiency and structural integrity of batteries.
The expansion issue of…
