"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
1 Nov 2019
Due to environmental concerns, people all over the world are gradually making the switch over to electric bikes and cars. The biggest concern of an electric car is that it takes a long time to charge.
Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have now come up with a groundbreaking technology that will enable a car battery to charge at a faster rate.
Current Problem With Charging
Current generation electric cars like Tesla takes at least 30 minutes for a partial charge. The long hours required for charging is a deterrent. Scientists are of the opinion that a speedy charge would entail the battery to take in 400 kilowatts of energy rapidly. However, the current generation of vehicles is incapable of this as there is the danger of lithium plating. There is the risk of the formation of metallic lithium around the anode, which would severely deteriorate battery life.
The Solution
To overcome this problem with speedy charging, the researchers raised the temperature of their experimental battery to 60 degrees Celsius during the charge cycle, then lowered it back down as it was used. According to senior author Chao-Yang Wang, a mechanical engineer at Pennsylvania State University, this process would limit the battery's exposure to the elevated charge temperature, thus generating a very long cycle life.
However, It will take some time for this technology to become operational as numerous tests will have to be conducted to make sure that rapidly raising the temperature is safe and stable, and doesn't lead to explosions given the phenomenal amount of energy that is being transferred.