Chinese scientists develop fast-charging lithium-ion batteries

WUHAN -- A team of Chinese scientists has developed a type of fast-charging lithium-ion battery capable of reaching a 90 percent charge on a cellphone within just 10 minutes.

The graphite-based battery has an ultrathin phosphorus layer on its surface, which can in-situ convert to crystalline solid electrolyte interphase with high ionic conductivity, according to a study published recently in the journal Nature Energy.

The researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology tested pouch cells with such a graphite anode. The battery capacity reached 80 percent in 6 minutes and 91.2 percent in 10 minutes.

In a scenario with a 6-minute charging rate, the battery's capacity retention remained at 82.9 percent for over 2,000 cycles, according to the study.

The battery, featuring excellent electrochemical properties, can be manufactured in a simple and cost-effective manner, thus holding huge market potential, the researchers said.