Lithium batteries have significantly impacted our daily lives, but one of their persistent challenges has been capacity degradation over time. Whether in smartphone batteries or electric vehicle power batteries, frequent use leads to diminished battery life, ultimately resulting in their disposal.
Source: China National Radio
Lithium batteries have significantly impacted our daily lives, but one of their persistent challenges has been capacity degradation over time. Whether in smartphone batteries or electric vehicle power batteries, frequent use leads to diminished battery life, ultimately resulting in their disposal. On February 13， Nature published a groundbreaking study from Fudan University titled "External Lithium Supply Technology Breaks Through the Lithium Deficiency and Lifespan Limits of Batteries."
Led by Professor Peng Huisheng and Dr. Gao Yue from the Department of Polymer Science, the Fudan research team has developed a new theory that challenges the conventional "design principle of lithium ions symbiotically relying on the positive electrode material." By combining artificial intelligence (AI) with organic electrochemistry, they successfully created lithium-carrying molecules. These molecules, akin to medicine, can be "injected" into aging, depleted batteries, precisely replenishing the lost lithium ions. This offers an innovative solution for handling "retired" batteries and highlights the transformative role of AI in scientific research.
Thanks to this technology, batteries that have undergone over 10,000 charge-discharge cycles still show performance close to their original state. The cycle life has increased dramatically from the current range of 500 to 2,000 cycles to more than 12,000 to 60,000 cycles. Furthermore, this breakthrough has overcome the need for lithium-binding constraints in battery materials, making it possible to use green, non-toxic, and heavy-metal-free materials to construct batteries. The team is now focused on scaling up the production of these lithium-carrying molecules and collaborating with leading international battery manufacturers. Their goal is to turn this technology into commercially viable products, helping drive China's leadership in the new energy sector.