Taming Lithium

Lithium batteries are quite widespread since they represent the best compromise in terms of storage capacity and weight. Improving them any further has proved difficult.
Scientists know that one way exist: substitute the anode, today made in silicon or graphite), with one made of lithium. Unfortunately, the solution does not work in practice.
A lithium anode swells when the battery recharges and all around it the flow of electrons create a mesh of dendrites that creates shortcuts rapidly killing the battery.
Now, according to an article published on Nature Nanotechnology, scientists at Stanford have discovered a way to solve the problems posed by a lithium anode: they have managed to encapsulate the lithium anode with a sheet of carbon spheres. The sheet is sufficiently elastic to withstand the swelling of the anode during the battery recharge and avoid the formation of dendrites, thus avoiding shortcuts and the waste of the battery.
According to the scientists, a battery of this kind would provide three times as much capacity, which will significantly increase the life of your cell phone and will extend the reach of an electrical vehicle to 300 miles. That is equivalent to a full tank of gasoline.

About Roberto Saracco

Roberto Saracco fell in love with technology and its implications long time ago. His background is in math and computer science. Until April 2017 he led the EIT Digital Italian Node and then was head of the Industrial Doctoral School of EIT Digital up to September 2018. Previously, up to December 2011 he was the Director of the Telecom Italia Future Centre in Venice, looking at the interplay of technology evolution, economics and society. At the turn of the century he led a World Bank-Infodev project to stimulate entrepreneurship in Latin America. He is a senior member of IEEE where he leads the New Initiative Committee and co-chairs the Digital Reality Initiative. He is a member of the IEEE in 2050 Ad Hoc Committee. He teaches a Master course on Technology Forecasting and Market impact at the University of Trento. He has published over 100 papers in journals and magazines and 14 books.