Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have found an alternative to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries: manganese . This abundant and inexpensive metal could replace nickel and cobalt, minerals in high demand and value, with “manganese cathodes” integrated into batteries.
The use of manganese cathodes in lithium batteries
The study published in Nature Nanotechnology shows that manganese can be used in new disordered rock salt ( DRX ) cathodes, a type of material that improves energy storage and distribution. Unlike previous studies, this new process allows “ manganese particles in the cathodes to perform better at a larger size than expected ,” thus improving efficiency without consuming too much energy in their production.
According to Berkeley Lab researcher Han-Ming Hau, using manganese would reduce costs and require less energy and time to produce than other elements currently used in commercial batteries . In addition, the synthesis process developed by the team allows the fabrication of cathodes in just two days, much faster than current methods.
Furthermore, manganese has demonstrated an impressive ability to form the internal structure of cathodes, creating a semi-ordered nanostructure that improves the electrochemical performance of the battery. This means that manganese-based lithium-ion batteries could store much more energy, which would be very favorable in applications such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
Support for this research came from several institutions, including the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science , and uses advanced techniques such as electron microscopy and X-rays to study the behavior of manganese in lithium batteries.
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Source and photo: Berkeley Lab
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