Niobium tungsten oxide accelerates lithium battery charging times

A team of engineers and scientists from China and the U.S. has discovered a new material to significantly reduce charging times for lithium batteries. Their study, published in *Nature Communications*, shows that niobium tungsten oxide can improve charging speeds without sacrificing battery capacity. To achieve this, the researchers used electron microscopy to observe how electricity flows through niobium tungsten oxide crystals. They found that the arrangement of these crystals is crucial for faster charging. When the crystals are arranged randomly, charging occurs more rapidly due to less distortion. The team then used machine learning to identify the best type of niobium tungsten oxide crystals for improved performance. They tested 84,000 variations and discovered rGO/Nb₁₆W₅O₅₅ as the most effective candidate. When tested at high temperatures, this new material charged at a rate of 116 milliamp-hours per grain in just 45 seconds. This is approximately 68.5% of the maximum charging speed expected from current lithium-ion batteries. The prototype created with this material maintained 77% of its initial capacity after 500 charging cycles and achieved a high energy density. However, the researchers noted more work is needed before this technology can be used in commercial batteries, particularly to address issues with electrode thickness.