New process could overcome major problem with batteries

Researchers in Australia claim a low-cost sodium-sulphur battery holds four times the charge of lithium-ion batteries found in smartphones (Getty Images/ iStock)

A new technique to overcome a major problem with batteries could allow for next-generation energy, researchers have claimed.

In the future, engineers hope to make the next generation of the lithium-ion batteries that power everything from phones to cars using nickel-rich layered cathodes. They could provide large amounts of energy at relatively little cost, allowing for a host of new technologies.

But when those cathodes are used for a prolonged time, they begin to break down, with their capacity quickly shrinking. That means that they can quickly need replacing – which might mean refitting the whole device they are powering.