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Fascination Technology Innovative Material Organizes Itself

Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Translated by AI 3 min Reading Time

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In our "Fascination Technology" section, we present impressive projects from research and development to engineers every week. Today: how an innovative material enables batteries that almost recycle themselves at the end of their lifespan.

The new material consists of a class of molecules that self-organize in water and are called aramid amphiphiles (AAs). Their chemical structure and stability are similar to those of Kevlar.(Image: Courtesy of the researchers, edited by MIT News)
The new material consists of a class of molecules that self-organize in water and are called aramid amphiphiles (AAs). Their chemical structure and stability are similar to those of Kevlar.
(Image: Courtesy of the researchers, edited by MIT News)

Today's boom in electric vehicles is tomorrow's mountain of electronic waste. And although countless efforts are being made to improve battery recycling, many EV batteries still end up in landfills.

A research team from MIT aims to change this with a novel, self-assembling battery material that quickly dissolves when immersed in a simple organic liquid. In a new article published in Nature Chemistry, the researchers demonstrated that the material can serve as an electrolyte in a functional solid-state battery cell and then return to its original molecular components within minutes.

Simplify Battery Recycling

Today, battery recycling requires aggressive chemicals, high temperatures, and complex processes. A battery consists of three main components: the positively charged cathode, the negatively charged anode, and the electrolyte, which transports lithium ions between them. The electrolytes in most lithium-ion batteries are highly flammable and decompose over time into toxic byproducts that require special treatment.

To simplify the recycling process, the researchers developed a more sustainable electrolyte:

  • To achieve this, they turned to a class of molecules that self-organize in water and are called aramid amphiphiles (AAs), whose chemical structures and stability are similar to those of Kevlar.
  • The researchers further developed the AAs so that each molecule contains polyethylene glycol (PEG) at one end, which can conduct lithium ions.
  • When the molecules are exposed to water, they spontaneously form nanoribbons with ion-conducting PEG surfaces and bases, which mimic the robustness of Kevlar through tight hydrogen bonds.
  • The result is a mechanically stable nanoribbon structure that conducts ions across its surface. When added to water, the nanoribbons spontaneously assemble into millions of nanoribbons, which can form a solid material.

“The material consists of two parts,” explains Yukio Cho, lead author of the study, PhD ’23. “The first part is this flexible chain that provides us with a nest or a host where lithium ions can hop around. The second part is this strong organic material component used in Kevlar, a bulletproof material. These two parts make the entire structure stable.”

Battery Dismantles Itself

Left: the mPEGAA molecule developed by researchers, center: how the molecules assemble into nanoribbons, right: how the molecules are used for the battery electrolyte.(Image: Courtesy of the researchers)
Left: the mPEGAA molecule developed by researchers, center: how the molecules assemble into nanoribbons, right: how the molecules are used for the battery electrolyte.
(Image: Courtesy of the researchers)

The team tested the strength and toughness of the material and found that it can withstand the stresses associated with battery manufacturing and operation. They also constructed a solid-state battery cell using lithium iron phosphate as the cathode and lithium titanate as the anode, both common materials in today's batteries. The nanoribbons successfully transported lithium ions between the electrodes, but a side effect known as polarization limited the movement of the lithium ions.

When they immersed the battery cell in organic solvents, the material dissolved immediately, causing all parts of the battery to separate from one another, simplifying recycling.

Recycling Considered from the Start

The researchers refer to a "recycle-first" approach, where recycling is no longer treated as a late-stage problem but is integrated into the design from the beginning. The prototype is currently not yet operating at maximum performance. Ion movement through the nanostructures is slower than in established materials. However, the vision is clear: even if this material were used as an additional layer in conventional electrolytes, it could provide the crucial trigger for controlled, environmentally friendly recycling.

The work was partially supported by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy and partially conducted using the MIT.nano characterization facilities.

In addition to Cho, the publication involves: doctoral candidate Cole Fincher, Ty Christoff-Tempesta PhD ’22, Kyocera Professor of Ceramics Yet-Ming Chiang, visiting professor Julia Ortony, Xiaobing Zuo, and Guillaume Lamour.

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