To improve the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, scientists need techniques that offer insights into their internal dynamics.
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Over the last few years, the soft hum of electric vehicles (EVs) has become a familiar note within the urban soundscape. At its root, the switch to electric has been motivated by the urgent need to replace a global fleet of gas guzzlers with vehicles that minimize carbon emissions and reduce the health risks posed by air pollution. But more widespread adoption has also been enabled by ongoing advances in battery technologies and manufacturing processes, which have made the latest generation of EVs a more affordable and dependable option for a broader swath of motorists.
Driving this transport revolution is the lithium-ion battery, an invention that emerged from pioneering research by Nobel laureate Stanley Whittingham in the 1970s. Whittingham’s early work on…
