South Korean scientists have proposed a new battery solution that could significantly extend the lifespan of electric vehicles and smartphones. This novel anode allows for rapid battery charging without capacity loss.
The researchers created a hybrid anode that combines graphite particles (mesocarbon microbeads, MCMB) with curved nanosheets of an organic compound called chloride-contoured hexabenzocoronene (Cl-cHBC). This structure creates microchannels through which lithium ions can pass more quickly and safely.
At high charging currents, this anode has a capacity four times that of conventional graphite. In a full test cycle, batteries using this new anode retained 70% of their initial capacity after more than 1,000 cycles, while in pouch cells, the capacity was nearly zero after 2,100 cycles.
The production method is scalable and compatible with existing battery production lines. The chemical versatility of the curved nanosheets makes this technology applicable to other types of storage devices, including sodium-ion batteries, where the material can replace scarce lithium.
