Nature-imitating coating makes batteries more durable and efficient
Researchers have made use of carbon dioxide in the production of a battery protective coating. In the future, the coating could multiply the battery life and enable the use of new, more efficient materials. When batteries are charged and used, a complex SEI (solid electrolyte interphase) layer is formed. Its structure resembles a mosaic consisting of organic and inorganic parts assembled from several blocks. Researchers have noticed that if an artificial layer is applied to the electrode surface of a battery, the batteries can be recharged and used longer. The actual electrode material is saved when the separately added layer reacts and forms a protective SEI layer. The surface of an artificially produced SEI is also more even and of a higher quality than that of a naturally developed layer. Inorganic materials, i.e. materials that do not contain carbon, have been used in the atomic layer deposition. Now, Aalto University's researchers have been the first in the world to...