One of the long-term challenges in the transition to electric vehicles is battery lifespan, and a recent discovery could help solve that kink in our environmental plans.
Researchers at the Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Eco Material Technology in South Korea have discovered the potential in producing battery cathode materials as more resilient single large particles or crystals instead of their smaller, crystalline counterparts, as The Brighter Side of News reported.
Recent studies have indicated that EV battery longevity is matching the lifespan of vehicles, extending their usefulness up to millions of kilometers, and that could reduce the need to ravage ecosystems for raw materials.
The lithium-ion batteries that power most EVs work by converting electrical energy into chemical energy for storage and then converting it back when needed. As the article detailed, the process relies heavily on nickel-based cathode materials, which are particularly good at storing the large amounts of lithium ions essential to the process.
Those nickel materials, however, are made up of small crystalline structures, which tend to degrade over time after many charge and discharge cycles, thereby reducing a battery's performance.
This led the team to explore the effects of synthesizing larger single-crystal materials to increase long-term stability. This was achieved through heating the materials to critical temperatures, resulting in enhanced quality and durability.
"We have introduced a new synthesis strategy to enhance the durability of nickel-based cathode materials," according to Kyu-Young Park, a professor at Pohang University of Science & Technology, per the article.
"We will continue our research to make secondary batteries for electric vehicles cheaper, faster, and longer-lasting."
Discoveries like these are key to the continued advancement of sustainable transportation solutions and breaking away from gas guzzlers and their dirty fuels that pollute the atmosphere with planet-warming gases.
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Electric vehicles use around 87%-91% of the energy provided by their batteries, while gas-powered vehicles are much less efficient, converting only about 16%-25% of their fuel into power for movement.
While battery longevity is an overarching concern, consumers are more often concerned with range anxiety on a per-charge basis. Advancements in charging speed and range-per-charge are helping with that.
Plus, the number of publicly available chargers has doubled since the start of the current presidential administration, with 192,000 charging ports available across the U.S. and 1,000 more being added each week.
"The Biden-Harris administration has taken action to ensure that America leads the EV revolution, and the historic infrastructure package includes resources to support a nationwide EV charger network so that all drivers have an accessible, reliable, and convenient way to charge their vehicles," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a press release.
Buttigieg said the investments made as part of that Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will "help ensure that the cost savings, health and climate benefits, and jobs of the EV future are secured for Americans across the country."
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