Scientists Develop "Self Healing" Lithium Ion Battery

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Lithium-ion batteries are notorious for developing internal electrical shorts that can ignite a battery’s liquid electrolytes, leading to explosions and fires.


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Engineers at the University of Illinois have developed a solid polymer-based electrolyte that can "self-heal" after damage! Their findings are published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

The material is also recyclable without the use of harsh chemicals or high temperatures.

As lithium-ion batteries go through multiple cycles of charge and discharge, they develop tiny, branchlike structures of solid lithium called dendrites, the researchers said. These structures reduce battery life, cause hotspots and electrical shorts, and sometimes grow large enough to puncture the internal parts of the battery, causing explosive chemical reactions between the electrodes and electrolyte liquids.


Solid ion-conducting polymers are one option for developing non-liquid electrolytes. But the high-temperature conditions inside a battery can melt most polymers, again resulting in dendrites and failure. ~ Brian Jing, a materials science and engineering graduate student and study co-author



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