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It's known that electric vehicles could travel longer
distances before needing to charge and more renewable energy could be saved for
a rainy day if lithium-sulfur batteries can just overcome a few technical
hurdles. Now, a novel design for a critical part of the battery has been shown
to significantly extend the technology's lifespan, bringing it closer to
commercial use.
A "hybrid" anode developed at the Department of
Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory could quadruple the life of
lithium-sulfur batteries. Nature Communications published a paper today
describing the anode's design and performance.