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Batteries power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles, with their performance hinging on the critical interface between the electrode and electrolyte. Penn State and industry researchers have developed a method to observe this interface at a higher resolution, which could potentially reveal new ways to improve battery efficiency and lifespan.

They published their results in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

An electrode is a conductor, like a metal rod or plate, that acts as a kind of gateway allowing electricity to enter and leave the battery. There are two types in a battery: Anodes, which are negative electrodes, and cathodes, which are positive ones. Electrolytes are the liquid medium that conducts ions between the anode and cathode, enabling the flow of electrical current.

The electrode–electrolyte interface is the boundary where the solid electrode and liquid electrolyte meet. This interface plays a critical role in the performance of batteries by influencing how ions and solvent molecules accumulate, deplete and transfer charges.

Understanding the behavior of this interface, particularly the electric double layer (EDL), is essential for designing more efficient and durable batteries, according to Jianwei Lai, graduate research assistant in energy and mineral engineering and first author on the study.

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