We always search for an electrical point to charge up the device, which is true for every modern electronic item that we use profoundly. It is because that the lithium-ion batteries that power multitude of smartphones, laptops and other such devices begin to show performance error and with every charge, these devices become less efficient and ultimately become rickety in functioning.
Chemists at Texas A&M have found the reason of batteries becoming slowly inactive: rather than flowing easily, electrons combined with lithium are trapped, producing disconnected “puddles of charge”, which only amplify over time. Researchers were successful to identify where the electron traps are occurring in the nanowires and how this event affects performance.
Now the big question is how will they create a better battery?
Banerjee identifies two emerging fields to solve the problem. The first one is nanotech that is designing smaller, developed architectures that permit aster uptake and release of lithium ions than current batteries. The second solution that Banerjee and associates are pursuing is of advanced materials. With the discovery of novel materials, the design away the traps and electrons would be de-localized and be able to flow liberally.
Lithium-ion batteries are there in the market since 40 years and the demand is increasing every year. Since manufacturers want to give even extra computing power to devices, all attention are on the battery technology for the next big step forward to enable technologies from wireless charging to the internet things.