Batteries.

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a thin film, highly conductive solid-state electrolyte made of a polymer and ceramic-based composite for lithium metal batteries. 

The electrolyte’s novel design is a three-dimensional interconnected structure that can provide mechanical robustness and high lithium ionic conductivity at room temperature.

Image: A thin film solid-state electrolyte with a three-dimensionally interconnected structure was fabricated by ORNL researchers. The structure increased conductivity through the ceramic base. Credit: Xi Chen/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Honda Motor Europe is expanding its partnership with French company SNAM (Société Nouvelle d’Affinage des Métaux) to include the collection and recycling of lithium-ion and nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries.

The expansion of the agreement will see SNAM collect lithium-ion and NiMH batteries from Honda's dealer network and Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATF) across 22 countries.

Nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a four-point plan to speed the commercialisation of solid-state batteries.

The researchers focused on inorganic solid electrolytes such as ceramic oxides or sulfide glasses. 

An international team of researchers have used neutron and X-ray tomography to investigate the processes that leads to electrode capacity degradation in lithium batteries. 

Researchers from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and University College London investigated degradation on electrode surfaces during cycling using a combination of the two tomography methods.

Researchers at IBM and vehicle OEM Daimler have used a quantum computer to help them design next-generation lithium-sulfur batteries.

Scientists used quantum hardware to calculate the dipole moment of three lithium-containing molecules for lithium hydride (LiH) using four qubits— a basic unit of quantum information— on IBM’s Q Valencia quantum computer.