South Korean researchers Prof. Kang Jeong-koo and Prof. Kim Yong-hoon at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), has developed a new type of graphene for lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged at a faster rate than conventional ones with no risk of reduced capacity. Conventional graphene is a two-dimensional atom-thin sheet of carbon that is commonly produced by resolving graphite in a chemical solution and then later separating the ultra-thin sheet of carbon from the solution.
According to the researchers such methods are bound to leave at least traces of foreign material on the sheet of carbon, a cause of reduced capacity over time.The new way to create graphene developed by the KAIST team uses chemical vapor deposition to produce a three-dimensional sheet of carbon that is free of impure elements and as such there is no risk of reduced battery capacity after use. The lack of foreign elements allows the batteries to recharge a much faster rate than conventional method.
Tests conducted using the new technology showed that there was no reduction in battery capacity even after 10,000 recharges. The researchers believe that this technology will help to overcome problems found in conventional lithium-ion batteries.
