Graphene research provides lithium ion battery boost

Proof-of-concept anodes built with graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and tin oxide showed an initial capacity better than the theoretical capacity of tin oxide alone, according to Rice chemist James Tour.

After 50 charge-discharge cycles, the test units retained a capacity that was still more than double that of the graphite currently used for LI battery anodes.

Graphene is the single atom-thick form of carbon, the discovery of which won a Nobel Prize in 2010 because of its potentially transformative effects in electronics, solar energy and battery technology. Scientists believe it could pave the way for a host of innovations including windows that act as computer displays and super-light aerospace components.

The Rice researchers have developed a method to make graphene nanoribbons in bulk and are moving toward commercial applications. One area for improvement is the battery because in an increasingly mobile world battery capacity is becoming a bottleneck that generally limits devices to less than a day’s worth of use.