Neutrons rule the roost for cage-free lithium ions

An international team of scientists found a way to improve battery design that could produce safer, more powerful lithium batteries.

Scientists using neutrons set the first benchmark (one nanosecond) for a polymer-electrolyte and lithium-salt mixture. Findings could boost power and safety for lithium batteries. Credit: Phoenix Pleasant/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

The team used quasi-elastic neutron scattering at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to set the first benchmark, one-nanosecond, or one billionth of a second, for a mixture of lithium salt and an organic polymer electrolyte.

“It all comes down to the study of materials,” said Eugene Mamontov, ORNL Chemical Spectroscopy group leader. “And polymer electrolytes won’t catch fire the way liquid electrolytes do in lithium batteries.”

The team used the neutron technique to validate computer simulations, ending a long-standing debate about how long it takes lithium ions to break free from tiny cages created by polymer electrolytes.

The rate at which ions in any battery break free from such environments, or solvation cages in polymer electrolytes, helps determine how energy flows through the battery.

Polymer electrolytes could enable more energy-dense electrodes, like lithium metal, resulting in more powerful lithium batteries.

The findings also open doors for rapidly screening new battery materials at ORNL. “Neutrons are highly sensitive to hydrogen, which is present in virtually all electrolytes.

This allowed us to see how it moved in the system and understand polymer electrolyte dynamics at an unprecedented level of detail. We couldn’t have pinned down the time and length any other way,” said Naresh Osti, ORNL neutron scattering scientist.

“Naresh and Eugene’s interpretation of neutron data from the experiment at ORNL opened our eyes to understanding the extent to which lithium ions are caged in polymer electrolytes. Our findings suggest this general approach will apply to liquid electrolytes,” said Nitash Balsara, Charles W. Tobias Professor of Electrochemistry at the University of California, Berkeley.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Finding the “Silver Lining” in Cotton Gin Waste

Cotton gin waste, also known as cotton gin trash, is a byproduct of the cotton ginning process and occurs when the cotton fibers are separated from the seed boll. For cotton gin waste, the treasure is its hidden potential to transform silver ions into silver nanoparticles and create a new hybrid material that could be used to add antimicrobial properties to consumer products, like aerogels, packaging, or composites.

AI makes retinal imaging 100 times faster, compared to manual method

NIH scientists use artificial intelligence called ‘P-GAN’ to improve next-generation imaging of cells in the back of the eye.

Researchers enhance reliability of electric vehicle charging

Driver uncertainty about access to charging during long trips remains a barrier to broader EV adoption, even as the U.S. strives to combat climate change by converting more drivers.

More than flying cars: eVTOL battery analysis reveals unique operating demands

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are taking cleaner transportation to the skies by creating and evaluating new batteries for airborne electric vehicles that take off and land vertically.

Scientists discover super sensor for the smallest scales

A team that included researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory used a new twist on an old method to detect materials at some of the smallest amounts yet recorded.

Technology to Reduce Pathogens in Intact Eggs

Researchers at the Agricultural Research Service's Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pa., used a novel thermal technology that pasteurizes eggs and inactivates Salmonella cells with a short processing time.