Nanoball batteries

Scientists at MIT have created a new kind of Lithium Ion battery that can both charge and discharge much faster than those in production today. The cathode portion of the battery is composed of nanosized balls of lithium iron phosphate. The batteries can be charged much faster because the Lithium Ion nanoballs transmit electrons to the surface of the cathode at a much higher rate.

The technology may also allow for smaller batteries as the cathode material degrades at a slower rate than in current production batteries. It's also possible the batteries will be a little bulkier as the nanoballs are constructed with a large amount of carbon to help conduct current from the electrodes.

The credited scientists are: Byoungwoo Kang and Gerbrand Ceder.

References

• http://www.physorg.com/news156097422.html
• http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126994.700-nanoball-batteries-could-recharge-car-in-minutes.html
• http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/battery-material-0311.html