Scientists at Washington State University have discovered how to make ions move up to 10 times faster than previously recorded.
The researchers described their discovery as creating an "ion superhighway." This is a particularly exciting breakthrough because it could be a game-changer in the development of both battery charging technology as well as energy storage.
Figuring out the movement of ions has long been a problem that has perplexed scientists. But thanks to the study, we finally have some answers to the mysteries.
The scientists figured out a way to attract and concentrate ions into a narrow channel. As the WSU Insider explains, "All living cells, including those in the human body, use ion channels to move compounds in and out of cells."
Thus, the researchers took their inspiration from how ions move within human cell membranes. Some ions are attracted to water, while others hate it. Manipulating the ions via their attraction or repulsion to water allowed them to isolate the ions. By mimicking the movement in the human body, the scientists were able to create the so-called superhighway.
"Being able to control these signals that life uses all the time in a way that we've never been able to do is pretty powerful," said Brian Collins, a WSU physicist and the senior author of the study. "This acceleration could also have benefits for energy storage, which could be a big impact."
The ramifications of this discovery are extensive. Faster charging times for batteries as well as more efficient energy storage could vastly affect the electric vehicle market. And this is only the latest innovation in that area.
Engineers recently unveiled an EV battery that only needs a five-minute charge to power up. Another group of scientists developed a lithium composite that could revolutionize energy storage efficiency.
Science Daily also reported another area that might benefit from this significant breakthrough in the movement of ions, stating, "They also power technologies that combine biological and electrical mechanisms, such as neuromorphic computing, which attempts to mimic thought patterns in the human brain and nervous system."
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Collins is already thinking about the future.
"The next step is really to learn all the fundamental mechanisms of how to control this ion movement and bring this new phenomenon to technology in a variety of ways," he said.
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