Lithium-Ion Batteries Boosted by Nanotech
February 11, 2009 by admin
A team of Rice University researchers, led by Pulickel Ajayan (pictured) have created hybrid carbon-nanotube/metal-oxide arrays as electrode material that may improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries. Rice’s nanotubes are grown to look and act like coaxial conducting lines used in cables.
The coax tubes consist of a manganese oxide (MnO2) shell and a highly conductive nanotube (CNT) core.
Each tube is made up of a manganese oxide shell and a highly conductive carbon nanotube. The two materials combined can hold lots of power and transmit it efficiently.
The hybrid nanocables grown in the Rice-developed process could also eliminate the need for binders, materials used in current batteries that hold the elements together but lower their conductivity.
Pictured from left are Sanketh Gowda, Manikoth Shaijumon and Arava Leela Mohana Reddy, members of Pulickel Ajayan’s research group who published a paper this week describing the proof-of-concept research in which nanotubes are grown to look – and act – like the coaxial conducting lines used in cables.
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