Whether it's a handheld PC, gaming laptop, or something much larger like a car, we all want batteries that can charge much quicker, store more energy, and last longer before wearing out. Until now, most advances in these areas have been discovered through trial and error, but a newly developed mathematical model, backed by experimental evidence, could be used to steer engineers in the right direction for the next generation of batteries.
That's according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in a report on research carried out by a team of engineers, mathematicians, and material scientists. Specifically, the study investigated the process of lithium-ion intercalation, the electrochemical schenanigans that take place in the batteries we use in watches, phones, and pretty much anything these days.
When you charge up the batteries in such devices, lithium ions are driven from an electrolytic solution and jammed into a solid electrode by a voltage source. This process has been intensively studied over the years, and battery designers have typically resorted to using the Butler-Volmer (BV) equation to predict the behaviour of lithium-ion cells.
However, the BV formula is far from perfect, and the discrepancies between that model's outputs and what's seen in reality mean that engineers have needed to rely on lots of experimental trial and error to get the required results. To that end, MIT's researchers started by examining over 50 different combinations of electrolytes and electrodes to build up a database of figures that could be analysed.
From this data, the team created a mathematical model based on coupled ion-electron transfer theory (pdf warning), which predicts the electrochemical reaction far better than the BV formula. And because it matches reality so closely, battery companies can use the model to fine-tune their designs to improve the charging speed of the cells, as well as help to reduce how quickly the cells degrade.
It's fair to say that a lot of experimental research often takes a long time to eventually bear fruit at the consumer level, either because it requires a manufacturing process that's yet to be cost-effective or because the discovery only works within very narrow constraints.
This research, however, is different because none of that applies here: it's a framework from which current designs can be tweaked, rather than requiring a wholesale change in direction. It's also been verified through further experimentation, though I have no doubt the scientific community will want to investigate the claims and the model further before agreeing that coupled ion-electron transfer theory is the way to go.
For me, the best part of all of this is that any battery company will be able to look at the researcher's findings and start implementing the model now, not years down the road. It might not result in a quantum leap in charging rates or battery lifespan, but any improvements will surely be welcomed by any tech user.
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