Graphite is a common choice for anodes in Li-Ion battery systems but doesn’t store much charge for its bulk. However, 3M’s newly-devised electrode could boost battery life and replace the soft-carbon material for good.
3M’s new anodes are made of silicon-lithium alloy that promise a 20 per cent increase in energy density when used with conventional cathodes. If paired with 3M’s proprietary high-energy cathode technology, the alloy anode can produce 40 per cent more electrons than a similarly-sized conventional components.
The company’s research in this field is financed, in part, by a $US4.6 million investment by the US Department of Energy to build more energy-efficient vehicles. 3M has been investigating Li-Ion power sources since the 1990s. As Chris Milker, business development manager for 3M Electronic Markets Materials Division, told GigaOm, it “takes a while for a revolutionary innovation to be implemented, but a lot of that investment will finally pay off.” [3M via Business Wire – Image: design56 / Shutterstock]