World's smallest battery: Charging makes nano-sized electrodes swell, elongate and spiral
Thursday, December 9, 2010 - 15:00
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- New high resolution images of electrode wires made from materials used in rechargeable lithium ion batteries shows them contorting as they become charged with electricity. The thin, nano-sized wires writhe and fatten as lithium ions flow in during charging, according to a paper in this week's issue of the journal Science. The work suggests how rechargeable batteries eventually give out and might offer insights for building better batteries.