Samsung’s ‘Graphene Ball’ Battery Could Fully Charge Your Phone In Just 12 Minutes
Scientists from Samsung and Seoul National University developed a “graphene ball” battery that could fully charge your phone in just 12 minutes with 45 percent more capacity. This discovery could not only lead to faster-charging phones, but also to the electric vehicles.
The discovery is described in Nature Communications. It was led by scientists from Energy Material Lab, Material Research Center, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology and Samsung Electronics Co., LTD.
The researchers coated the nickel-rich cathodes and lithium-based anode materials with a “graphene ball,” which is a thin, popcorn-like substance. This could provide the anode an increase in capacity and the stability of battery as well as its conductivity. In addition, it will “improve the cyclability and fast charging capability of the cathode substantially,” according to the researchers.
The graphene ball battery could also reach energy densities of almost 800 Wh/L, which is about the same as Li-ion batteries that are being used by Tesla and others, according to Endgaget. It could also maintain a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius, which is needed for application in electric vehicles.
Graphene ball (GB) is also referred to as a graphene-silica assembly, which is a coating material for high-capacity Ni-rich layered cathode materials and a LIB anode material. Each graphene ball consists of a graphene-silica assembly nanoparticle center around the graphene layers. It is embodied with a three-dimensional (3D) popcorn-like structure.
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These graphene-silica nanoparticles guarantee a uniform coating of graphene ball onto the cathode material. This provides a high capacity when the graphene ball is used as an anode material. With its uniform coating on the Ni-rich layered cathode, it improves the electronic conductivity of the electrode and the interfacial stability of the electrolyte. This enhances and boosts the cyclability and fast charging capability of the cathode substantially.
These batteries that could fully charge your phones and electric vehicles in a short period of time is practical. They could also save time.
Dr. Son In-hyuk, the lead researcher, said that they were able to improve the capabilities of lithium-ion batteries in an environment where the markets for electric vehicles and the mobile device is growing rapidly. He further said their commitment is to continuously explore and develop secondary battery technology in light of these trends.
