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Engineers solve fast-charging EV puzzle
Engineers solve fast-charging EV puzzle
Plus: US Navy awards Lockheed Martin $2 billion hypersonic missile contract.
Mar 01, 2023
Feel the power.
Having said that, you actually can’t quite yet. But you might be able to soon, thanks to new research that’s looking into ways to stop lithium dendrite growth.
Because, as it stands, lithium dendrite growth is holding up the development of lightweight solid-state batteries. The reaction between lithium dendrites and the electrolyte can also cause the electrolyte to decompose and lead to capacity loss, reducing battery life and performance. But that might all be about to change.
But before you tune into that power, tune into this one. This video shows the reason why rockets don’t crash into airplanes …in case you’ve ever wondered.
Good morning. I’m Alice, an Editor at IE.
This is The Blueprint. Let’s dive in.
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VIDEO OF THE DAY
Another mystery solved!
MUST READ
A recent study seems to finally resolve the question of what causes dendrite formation. Even better, it demonstrates how to stop dendrites from piercing the electrolyte.
Lithium dendrites are crystal growths that can accumulate on the surface of lithium. They can form on the negative electrode during the charging process, particularly under conditions such as overcharging or lower-temperature charging. The dendrites are formed when lithium ions accumulate on the anode surface and cannot be absorbed.
The reaction between lithium dendrites and the electrolyte can also cause the electrolyte to decompose and lead to capacity loss, reducing battery life and performance.
To date, finding ways to stop lithium dendrite growth hasn't seen much success, holding up further development of lightweight solid-state batteries, which replace one of the electrodes with solid lithium metal.
The next steps will attempt to apply these concepts to produce a functional prototype battery. After this, Chiang and his team will determine precisely what manufacturing techniques would be required to build such batteries in commercial quantities.
→ Possible limitations include whether this effect occurs in all solid electrolytes and whether the team can really engineer residual or retained stresses into batteries in a practical way to prevent such failures.
READ MORE
INNOVATION
The US Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth between $1.1-2 billion to install Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile launchers on the US Navy's three Zumwalt-class destroyers.
Under the contract's terms, Lockheed Martin will aim to install the hypersonic missiles by around 2025. The Navy's Zumwalt-class destroyers have faced numerous issues since they first came into operation last decade, so the new contract could help them finally live up to the moniker of the “21st-century destroyer.”
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SCIENCE
Astronomers have spotted a runaway supermassive black hole that appears to have been powerfully ejected from its home galaxy. And it's taking part of that galaxy with it.
The new observations, detailed in a new paper in preprint server arXiv, show how the colossal giant is dragging a group of stars in its wake. It is the first observational evidence that black holes can be ejected from their home galaxies into interstellar space.
READ MORE
CULTURE
Over a hundred robots at Google's parent company, Alphabet, have allegedly been fired after the team maintaining them was shut down.
After building the search engine and a suite of services, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin restructured Google to form Alphabet, a company that could dedicate resources and freedom to try out new ideas and turn them into viable products.
READ MORE
MAIL & MUSINGS
Engineers solve a short-circuit puzzle, paving the way for fast-charging EVs.
How soon do you think it will take for fast-charging EVs to be widely commercially available?
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Following the news that daily cannabis use is found to increase heart disease risk by 34 percent, we asked if you think this news will make people reduce their cannabis use. 50 percent say no while 39 percent think they might if they hear this.
50%
No, they’re hooked, it’s futile
39%
They might if they hear this
7%
I am unsure either way
4%
Yes, surely. This is shocking
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Much of the battery supply chain isn’t built, challenging an industry aiming to sell tens of millions of EVs in coming years.
RJ Scaringe, CEO of Rivian.
THINGS WE LOVE
AND ANOTHER THING
Amazon layoffs hit amid an increase in robot automation: what to know.
‘Mommy brain’ doesn’t capture how the brain transforms during pregnancy. (Science News)
How Oracle's test smart city may pioneer bold ideas for construction.
Google’s quantum computer simulation of a wormhole may not have worked. (New Scientist)
Nokia's logo change in the bigger picture, what's new?
How can Baby Yoda be 50 years old? (SN Explores)
Researchers plan supercomputers that are powered by human brain cells.
Prepared by Alice Cooke
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