Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are now the power of choice for a variety of portable consumer electronics. A group of researchers from the University of Leeds has invented a new type of polymer gel that could replace the liquid electrolytes currently used in rechargeable lithium cells. It would also enable production of cheaper lithium batteries without… »

Battery developers know that recharging and using lithium batteries over and over damages the electrode materials. Researchers at the DOE’s Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab on the Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) grounds have been observing how nanowires composed of tin oxide rapidly change shape and deform when they are being charged. “Nanowires of tin oxide… »