This text is part of the special section Electric and intelligent transport
Teams of researchers and chemistry students from the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) and McGill University are diving into the heart of the lithium ion battery to discover how to accelerate the recharge time of batteries, as well as for the phone, and the computer than the car. Advanced X-ray technology can peer inside the battery in real time as it charges, and the breakthrough could revolutionize the future of electrification, researchers say.
“We want to combat the natural degradation processes which prevent, after a certain time, the charge from reaching 100%. We therefore want to optimize the charging and recharging algorithms to increase the lifespan of the batteries,” mentions Janine Mauzeroll, professor in the Department of Chemistry at McGill University, who co-directs the project.
UQAM chemistry professor Steen B. Schougaard, who shares leadership with his McGill counterpart, indicates that this research is possible because of the “innovative” technique called LIME, for Lithium Inventory Mapping in Electrodes. This method uses highly concentrated X-rays to observe in real time the movement of lithium ions inside the electrodes (the solid parts) and the electrolyte (the liquid parts) of lithium-ion batteries.
“This is the first time we can record all battery activity during a charge or discharge cycle. We can then identify with excellent spatial resolution what obstacles are disrupting the movement of ions in the battery,” he explains.
This technology operates at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France, which is collaborating on the project. Synchrotrons, of which there are few in the world, generate beams of intense light by accelerating electrons until they accumulate a large amount of energy. Scientists then use this light to capture images of samples, analyze their chemical composition and understand their structure.
Progress closely monitored
Those responsible for the research are delighted with the favorable context in which they operate, marked in particular by the energy transition in Quebec. According to them, the Plan for a 2030 Green Economy unveiled in 2020 by the Coalition Avenir Québec, in which the government expresses its intention to reach the target of two million electric cars on the roads of Quebec by 2030, contributes to the transition to a more sustainable economy.
This is why in the eyes of Steen B. Schougaard, the ultimate objective of this research is to design lithium-ion batteries capable of competing with the speed of recharging of gasoline vehicles, which could considerably accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. According to him, zero-emission cars will become eminently essential due, among other things, to Ottawa’s announcement last December to put an end to the sale of new gasoline-only vehicles in Canada by 2035.
For her part, Janine Mauzeroll notes a great interest from companies in their work, which she describes as fundamental. His team has also already met with Northvolt last September. “We hope that our expertise joins as much as possible with the industrial sector because the Quebec subsoil has all the critical and strategic minerals to develop the battery sector,” argues the one who specializes in electrochemistry.
For the moment, it is still too early to establish a timetable for the end of the research. “We are moving at a good pace, one step at a time. Like my colleague, I am realistic. It is certain that we believe that there is a future, but we must remain critical in our results to be certain that our interpretations are correct. There’s no point in being too excited when there’s a lot of work to be done,” says the man who has developed strong expertise in lithium-ion batteries.
Quebec strategy on electric vehicle charging
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