We have created ultra-powerful batteries for smartphones, laptops and cars that charge up to 80% in 5 minutes
The Japanese company Toshiba has developed an innovative lithium-ion battery without the addition of cobalt. It supports ultra-fast charging and lasts much longer than its competitors
In modern lithium-ion batteries, cobalt and nickel are widely used as components of cathode materials. At the same time, cobalt is considered a rare-earth metal, the use of which leads to an increase in the price of the final product. Toshiba managed to make a battery without cobalt and with less nickel.
As you know, during a chemical reaction inside a battery, the electrolyte decomposes with the subsequent release of gas. This, in turn, causes the dissolution of metal components. The released particles settle on the anode surface in the form of dendrites. This reduces the battery capacity.
Toshiba specialists were able to circumvent this limitation by minimizing the negative impact, but the details are not yet available.
What are the advantages
It takes only 5 minutes to charge the battery from 0 to 80%. The battery will charge to 100% within 10 minutes.
For example, the realme GT5 smartphone can boast similar performance, as it can be fully charged in 10 minutes. However, if this phone had a new Toshiba battery, the device could charge to 100% in less than a minute.
The new battery also has a much longer service life. After 100 charging cycles at 60°C, the battery wear does not exceed 0.8%. For comparison, the iPhone battery manages to wear out by 4-5% to 96-95% in 100 charging cycles.
Toshiba claims that its most powerful batteries can be used in cars and compact devices, including smartphones, laptops, and tablets.
The first commercial product with the new batteries is due in 2028, but it is not yet known what kind of product it will be.
Koike, a subsidiary of Orix, has been working with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) to develop a single-crystal material that can be used as an electrolyte in solid-state batteries.
Recall that electrolytes are the medium in which battery ions are transported between electrodes, allowing the battery to charge and discharge. Compared to polycrystalline materials used in conventional solid-state batteries, the new material reduces electrical resistance by nine-tenths, making it easier for electricity to flow through the battery and thus extending its life.
