Scientists discover how to prevent dendrite formation in batteries
Wednesday, February 4, 2015 - 06:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Today's batteries cannot take in all of a wind farm's energy on a blustery night and hold it until it is needed the next day. A promising option is to create a higher capacity battery by replacing the negative electrode in conventional batteries with one made of lithium metal. The problem? Dendrites-deposits that form on electrode surfaces during the charging process-cause the batteries to short circuit, leading to serious safety hazards. Recently, scientists discovered how to prevent dendrite formation. For the first time, a team including experts at DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory grew protective films around the anodes that prevented dendrites from forming.