Nanomaterial Might Charge Electric Vehicles 60 Times Faster

For all their promise, electric vehicles still face a perception problem. Not only do they have to overcome the (possibly overhyped) question of range anxiety, but there's also the issue of charge time. However, Inhabitat reports that a new type of nanomaterial—you have to love anything with a "nano" prefix—could help charge electric vehicles 40 to 60 times faster than current rates.

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have developed a new type of material made from “nanoscoops”, which can increase the charging speed of small lithium-ion batteries by 40-60 times. Previously the anodes in lithium ion batteries — lithium ion molecules which travel between anodes and cathodes to create a charge — would become stressed, swell, and wear out if charged quickly, so batteries were designed to charge at a snail’s pace. Nanoscoops are specifically designed to withstand the stress of a quick charge and won’t swell under the pressure. If scaled up, this technology could mean less waiting around to charge for the owners of electric vehicles.

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As you might expect, the application for this nanomaterial—pictured, and referred to as "nanoscoops"—is a few years off. So far, it's only been tested on batteries the size of a coin and would need to be scaled up significantly, but researchers are optimistic.

Learn more at Tech News Daily.