Could a New Charge Double the Service-life of Li-Ion Batteries?

'An improved charging protocol might help lithium-ion batteries to last much longer,' writes Science Daily:

The best commercial lithium-ion batteries...have a service life of up to eight years. Batteries are usually charged with a constant current flow. But is this really the most favorable method? A new study by Prof. Philipp Adelhelm's group at HZB and Humboldt-University Berlin answers this question clearly with 'no.' [In collaboration with teams including the Technical University of Berlin.]

Part of the battery tests were carried out at Aalborg University. The batteries were either charged conventionally with constant current (CC) or with a new charging protocol with pulsed current (PC). Post-mortem analyses revealed clear differences after several charging cycles: In the CC samples, the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) at the anode was significantly thicker, which impaired the capacity... PC-charging led to a thinner SEI interface and fewer structural changes in the electrode materials.

The study is published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials and analyzes the effect of the charging protocol on the service time of the battery, according to the article. 'The frequency of the pulsed current counts...'

'Doubling the life of your EV's battery or even your smartphone's battery is no small thing,' says Slashdot reader NewtonsLaw...

Read more of this story at Slashdot.