Scientists, including those backed by automotive giant Toyota, have made a breakthrough that could put a major dent in our e-waste problem and keep those electric vehicles’ lithium-ion batteries running for years to come.
How’d they do it? Think of it like a super-powered energy drink for your car’s battery. These clever researchers have found a way to inject specific chemicals into aging lithium-ion batteries. This injection replenishes the lost charged particles that help the battery store power. Imagine giving your tired battery a second wind!
Before you go stockpiling old phone batteries, hold up. This technique won’t fix a physically busted battery. Think of it more like a revitalizing treatment for batteries that are simply starting to slow down and lose their oomph over time.
We know that these precious lithium-ion batteries are the most common type of rechargeable batteries, powering our daily lives, from smartphones to electric cars. But over time, they lose their ability to hold a charge, making them less efficient and reliable. This is because they lose some charged particles, or ions, that store and release energy inside the battery.
But what if you could replenish those ions and restore the battery’s original capacity? That’s exactly what the researchers from Toyota Central R&D Labs in Japan have achieved, using a single-step process that could reduce waste and boost the supply of batteries needed for fleets of electric vehicles.
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