Beijing, China – Riemannian surface on carbon anodes enable lithium-Ion storage at -35c–or, in more plain English, researchers led by Xi Wang of Beijing Jiaotong University may have discovered modifications allowing EV batteries to better survive harsh winter climates.
According to research from ACS Central Science, the smoothness of graphite in lithium-ion batteries is enough to weaken electrical charges over time. This becomes especially pronounced in colder environments. Scientists found that making the graphite ‘bumpy and irregular’ allowed these batteries to operate with almost no energy reduction in the cold. Compared to smooth slabs of graphite, 12-sided carbon nano-spheres were constructed into carbon anodes which demonstrated “excellent cycle stability and cold tolerance,” according to the scientists’ research.
According to Tibi Puiu, a journalist at ZME Science, this design may see use in other environments that greatly vary in their temperature–the International Space Station is another possibility, in addition to the millions of electrical vehicles in the far north.
Click here to read the original research paper.
