Tokyo researchers speed up lithium ions

Advanced Battery Technology, Jan 2003

Researchers at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, have discovered a method to speed up lithium ions within a battery's electrolyte membrane by a factor of 100, reports The Nikkei Weekly.

The group, led by Associate Professor Shigo Asai and research associate Yoichi Tominaga, used a I mm-thick solid polymer electrolyte membrane containing lithium ions dissolved in polyethylene oxide. The membrane was maintained for 30 minutes in high-temperature and high-pressure, super-critical carbon dioxide.

The speed of lithium ions depends on the number of mobile ions within the membrane and the hardness of the membrane. The faster the ions' speed, the higher and faster a battery can generate power. Ions within the membrane in super-critical carbon dioxide became more mobile, and the membrane softened. The ions are thought to have gained speed due to the synergy of these effects.