Images show how
nickel, which enhances battery capacity, also appears to hinder charging rates
Anyone who owns an electronic device knows that lithium ion
batteries could work better and last longer. Now, scientists examining battery
materials on the nano-scale reveal how nickel forms a physical barrier that
impedes the shuttling of lithium ions in the electrode, reducing how fast the
materials charge and discharge. Published last week in Nano Letters, the
research also suggests a way to improve the materials.