Australian researchers develop new carbon-based supercapacitor material

Breakthrough technology overcomes "the biggest barrier" to commercializing lithium-metal batteries for EVs... Researchers from the Frontier Research Laboratory, a joint project between the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and LG Energy Solution, have developed a technology that "dramatically" increases the performance of lithium-metal batteries. "While conventional lithium-ion batteries are limited to a maximum range of 600 km, the new battery can achieve a range of 800 km on a single charge, a lifespan of over 300,000 km, and a super-fast charging time of just 12 minutes." The researchers achieved this by solving the long-standing dendrite issue that has limited fast charging and battery lifespan in lithium-metal batteries. They found that dendrites (tiny, tree-like lithium crystals that can pierce the battery's layers, causing short-circuits) form due to "non-uniform interfacial cohesion" on the surface of the lithium metal. To suppress them, the team developed a "cohesion-inhibiting new liquid electrolyte," allowing the battery to maintain high energy density and deliver long driving ranges with stable operation even during fast charging. Researchers mentioned (not extensive): Dr. Hyeokjin Kwon, Professor Hee Tak Kim, Seong Su Kim, Seongyeong Kim, Jonghyun Hyun, Hongsin Kim #innovation #technology #electricvehicles #lithiumionbatteries #sustainability https://lnkd.in/gPFeYG8V

Recent analysis of acoustic emissions from lithium-ion batteries has enabled the identification of specific sound patterns linked to internal degradation processes, such as gas generation and material fracturing. This approach offers a passive, nondestructive, and cost-effective method for monitoring battery health in real time. By correlating acoustic data with electrochemical signals, it is now possible to predict battery lifespan and detect early signs of failure. These insights have potential applications in electric vehicles, grid storage, manufacturing quality control, and laboratory research, supporting safer and more efficient battery management.

Researchers develop the first room temperature all-solid-state hydride ion battery. Hydride ion (H), with their low mass and high redox potential, are considered promising charge carriers for next-generation electrochemical devices. However, the lack of an efficient electrolyte with fast hydride ion conductivity, thermal stability, and electrode compatibility has hindered their practical applications.- ---In a study published in Nature, Prof. Chen Ping's group from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) developed a novel core–shell hydride ion electrolyte, and constructed the #first #room #temperature all-solid-state rechargeable #hydride #ion #battery.--- Using a heterojunction-inspired design, researchers synthesized a novel core–shell composite hydride, 3CeH3@BaH2, where a thin BaH2 shell encapsulates CeH3. This structure leverages the high hydride ion conductivity of CeH3 and the stability of BaH2, enabling fast hydride ion conduction at room temperature along with high thermal and electrochemical stability. Furthermore, researchers constructed a CeH2|3CeH3@BaH2|NaAlH4 all-solid-state hydride ion battery using NaAlH4, a classical hydrogen storage material, as the cathode active component. The positive electrode of the battery delivered an initial discharge capacity of 984 mAh/g at room temperature and retained 402 mAh/g after 20 cycles. In a stacked configuration, the operating voltage reached 1.9 V, powering a yellow light-emitting diode lamp, which was a compelling example for practical applications. By adopting hydrogen as the charge carrier, this technology avoided dendrite formation, paving the way for safe, efficient, and sustainable energy storage. With the tunable properties of hydride-based materials, hydride ion batteries hold immense potential for clean energy storage and conversion. by Chinese Academy of Sciences

🔋 Advancing Solid-State Battery Technology Through Global Collaboration 🌍 Excited to share the latest publication in Energy Storage (Wiley, 2025): "Physiochemical Characterization and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopic Analysis of NASICON-Based M₁₊ₓAlₓTi₂₋ₓ(PO₄)₃ Electrolytes for Solid-State Batteries" This work represents a truly international collaboration between researchers from: 🇵🇰 COMSATS University Islamabad, 🇸🇦 Islamic University of Madinah 🇵🇱 Wroclaw University of Science and Technology 🇬🇧 University of the West of Scotland (Qaisar Abbas) Together, they explored the comparative performance of Li- and Na-based NASICON-type solid electrolytes, focusing on: ✅ Ionic conductivity ✅ Activation energy ✅ Microstructural and morphological properties ✅ Electrochemical impedance behavior Their findings show that Na₁.₅Al₀.₅Ti₁.₅(PO₄)₃ offers superior conductivity and thermal stability, making it a promising alternative to lithium-based systems—especially important given the global push for cost-effective and sustainable energy storage solutions. This research not only contributes to the scientific community but also supports the broader mission of enabling scalable, safer, and greener battery technologies. 📎 Read the full paper: https://lnkd.in/eDQjQfYE #EnergyStorage #SolidStateBatteries #NASICON #MaterialsScience #Electrochemistry #Sustainability #Collaboration #ResearchImpact #UWS #COMSATS #Innovation

🔬 #MaterialsResearch at Fraunhofer Battery Alliance 🔋 Our mission is to advance battery technology through cutting-edge materials research and process innovation. Our 26 member institutes work collaboratively to develop, optimize, and characterize materials and manufacturing processes tailored for next-generation battery cells. The goal: enhanced energy and power density, longer cycle and calendar life, and improved intrinsic safety. ⚙️ From material synthesis to cell production, we cover the full development pipeline – offering both laboratory-scale and pilot-scale solutions to accelerate industrial implementation. Focus Areas: ◾️ Lithium-ion #Batteries ◾️ Solid-state batteries ◾️ Lithium-sulfur systems ◾️ Redox-flow batteries ◾️ Sodium-ion batteries ◾️ Metal-air batteries ◾️ High-temperature storage ◾️ Double-layer capacitors We combine scientific excellence with application-oriented research to support both industry and public R&D initiatives. 👉🏼 Join us in shaping the future of sustainable energy storage: https://lnkd.in/eUfmhAWX #FraunhoferBatteries #BatteryTechnology #Fraunhofer

Breakthrough: Affordable Alternative to Iridium Catalysts for Clean Hydrogen Production A team led by Northwestern University has pioneered a rapid materials-discovery technique using a nanoparticle “megalibrary”—a fingertip-sized chip containing millions of nanomaterial variants. In collaboration with the Toyota Research Institute, they screened vast combinations of inexpensive metals and pinpointed a low-cost catalyst that matches—and in some cases outperforms—traditional iridium catalysts, all discovered in just one afternoon. The new catalyst shows strong promise for scaling clean hydrogen generation at a fraction of the cost. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/e65-pvRk

Zinc-based #batteries🔋 have significant potential for future high-capacity, low-cost energy storage. Thanks to X-ray tomography experiments at the ESRF on coated zinc electrodes, researchers from UCL, The ZERO Institute - University of Oxford and the ESRF - The European Synchrotron are now a step closer to making practical applications a reality. Professor Paul Shearing, Director of The ZERO Institute - University of Oxford, and co-corresponding author of the study, says: “While improving today’s Li-ion technology remains crucial, it is equally important to pioneer new battery systems, such as Zn system that can meet future demands for safer, more sustainable, and higher-performance energy storage. We have been collaborating with ID19 for over a decade, and their advanced X-ray techniques have been instrumental in supporting us in many ways, from understanding fundamental degradation mechanisms, to improving electrode manufacturing, to enhancing battery safety.” The results are out in Nature Communications. ➡️https://lnkd.in/eDdVbf7E Alexander Rack Wenjia Du Guanjie He Yuhang Dai

⚡ Element Spotlight: Lanthanum (La) ⚡ 🔹 Atomic Symbol: La 🔹 Key Strengths: High dielectric constant → boosting capacitor efficiency ⚡ Excellent catalyst enhancer → fuels cleaner reactions Forms LaNi₅ → a leading hydrogen storage alloy 🔋 🔹 Applications Powering the Future: ✅ Hydrogen Storage – vital for clean energy & fuel cells 🌱 ✅ Battery Electrodes – enhancing rechargeable energy systems 🔋 ✅ Optics & Glasses – high-refractive lenses for advanced optics 👓 Lanthanum’s versatility makes it a cornerstone of energy storage, catalysis, and optical technologies — bridging green energy and high-tech optics. 💡 With La, we see how material science fuels both sustainable energy and clearer vision for the future. #Lanthanum #RareEarth #HydrogenStorage #Batteries #Optics #Catalysis #MaterialsScience #Innovation

#OnTheBeamlines: A process called electrochemical CO2 reduction (CO2R) offers a sustainable, carbon-neutral way to convert #CO2 into valuable fuels and feedstocks, such as #methane, #ethanol, and ethylene. It involves applying electrical current – ideally from wind or solar power -- to materials called #electrocatalysts. A research team from McMaster University -- led by professors Adam Hitchcock and Drew Higgins -- are trying to develop more effective and affordable catalysts. In earlier work, they discovered that adding tiny amounts of chloride ions, which comes from salt, to a copper-based electrocatalysts made it better at producing ethylene, a gas used to make plastics and other products. Now they’re using the Electron Imaging and Microanalysis Lab (EIML) at the CLS to understand exactly why these chloride ions help the reaction. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is enabling them to identify changes in the structure and chemistry in the catalyst before and after the chloride ions are introduced. It’s a key step, the researchers say, in building a complete understanding of the catalyst behavior under real working conditions Chungyung Zhang (in photo), previously a PhD student at McMaster and now an associate scientist at CLS, says their work is helping advance CO2R technology for large-scale application. “Canadian companies such as CERT Systems Inc., Ionomr Innovations Inc., and Carbon Engineering Ltd. have started to commercialize CO2 conversion technology,” says Zhang. “Our research supports these efforts by contributing to the development and testing of next-generation catalytic electrodes and prototype systems. The knowledge we gain will help position Canada at the forefront of CO2 conversion technology.” McMaster University Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology McMaster Faculty of Science Faculty of Engineering - McMaster University