The anodes, or negative electrodes, in most rechargeable batteries are currently made of graphite. But the next generation of high-capacity, fast-charging, low-cost batteries will use metal anodes instead, which will make them lighter and safer.
A new membrane developed by Xudong Wang, a Grainger Institute for Engineering Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his students, including recent PhD graduate Yutao Dong, overcomes a major hurdle in realizing this new approach: Over time, metal anodes tend to develop dendrites, or little metallic “branches,” that can reduce the lifespan of batteries or short them out completely. The membrane can stop dendrite formation, improve battery life and safety, and lead to more efficient manufacturing techniques for next-generation batteries. The team’s research appears in the April 15, 2024, issue of the journal Nano Letters.
Read more here: https://engineering.wisc.edu/news/self-flattening-membrane-will-power-a-smooth-transition-to-next-generation-batteries/