The current lithium batteries are very efficient because they disperse power slowly, thus lasting longer. But they also take a considerable amount of time to charge due to lithium limitations. However, MIT scientists found a way around that problem.

 

Until now, it was thought that lithium in itself was the cause of the long time needed to charge the lithium batteries. However, MIT scientists discovered that the real problem wasn’t lithium, but the substrate around it. The new battery developed by the MIT team of scientists can fully charge in under 20 seconds. 

 

The team of researchers was led by led by Gerbrand Ceder, Richard P. Simmons Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT and Byoungwoo Kang, a graduate student in materials science and engineering. 

 

The MIT team created what they called a "beltway" that allows for the rapid transit of electrical power. MIT scientists had predicted this would happen about five years ago when they said lithium iron phosphate, the material used in batteries, should carry charges much faster. In the mean time they found the solution to fulfill the prediction.  

 

The MIT-developed “beltway” solves the problem by allowing lithium ions to move quickly outside the material. When the ions reach a tunnel, they are diverted into it. The new technology not only greatly reduces the time of charging a battery, it also allows of the reduction in size and weight of the battery due to the fact that the material degrades slower when repeatedly charged and recharged.