Next-generation lithium-sulphur batteries ‘take inspiration from gut biology’

A next-generation prototype battery has been developed that takes inspiration from the biology of the human intestine.

Created by researchers from the University of Cambridge, the innovative lithium-sulphur battery utilises a lightweight nanostructured material resembling villi, the finger-like protrusions lining the small intestine.

In the human body, villi absorb the products of digestion and increase the surface area over which this process can take place; in the battery, similar structures made using tiny zinc oxide wires are instead used to trap fragments of the active material when they break off.

This prevents the degradation of the battery caused by the loss of material within it – a key problem for lithium-sulphur batteries up until now – by keeping broken fragments electrochemically accessible, thereby allowing the material to be reused.

Although the prototype battery is still not able to go through as many charge cycles as a lithium-ion battery, it offers five times as much energy density, which means it does not need to be charged as often.

The study's lead author Teng Zhao, a PhD student from Cambridge University's department of materials science and metallurgy, said: "By taking our inspiration from the natural world, we were able to come up with a solution that we hope will accelerate the development of next-generation batteries."

With over 20 years of experience within the service engineering market, we at Zenopa have the knowledge, skills and expertise to help find the right job for you. To find out more about the current service engineering roles we have available, you can search for the latest job roles, register your details, or contact the team today.