The Argonne battery design became, in a radical leap forward, cheaper, safer, and longer-lasting. The researchers also upped the upper charging voltage limit to 4.6 volts-higher than the usual operating voltage-and saw a tremendous jump in the batteryвЂ™s energy capacity. Manganese is cheap, so the battery will cost less to manufacture. Using new synthesis methods, they created lithium- and manganese-rich materials that proved remarkably more stable than existing designs.Д«ecause manganese-rich cathodes are more stable than those used in todayвЂ™s batteries, the new batteries are safer and less likely to overheat. Next, they set out to modify and optimize the cathode materials. They began by using incredibly intense X-rays from ArgonneвЂ™s Advanced Photon Source synchrotron to monitor and understand reactions that occur in lithium batteries-in real time. The team wanted to improve the cathode, the positively charged material. When you unplug the battery from the charger and begin to use it, the lithium ions flow from the anode through the membrane to react with the cathode-creating an electrical current. When a battery is fully charged, all of the lithium ions are contained in the anode.

Between them is a thin membrane that allows only tiny, positively charged lithium ions to pass through. Image courtesy General Motors.ДЄt its most basic level, a lithium battery is composed of a negatively charged anode and a positively charged cathode. The Chevrolet VoltвЂ™s battery contains technology invented at Argonne National Laboratory. вЂњWhat we really needed to do was understand the molecular structure of the material,вЂќ said Argonne chemist Chris Johnson. In order to improve the design, scientists had to know how batteries worked at the atomic level. вЂ‹ вЂњThe Argonne materials take a big step forward in extending the range for an electric vehicle.вЂќ вЂњExisting materials werenвЂ™t good enough for a high-range vehicle,вЂќ explained Michael Thackeray, an Argonne Distinguished Fellow who is one of the holders of the original patent. The story begins in the late 1990s, when the DOEвЂ™s Office of Basic Energy Sciences funded an intensive study of lithium-ion batteries. it helps create jobs and it can have a positive impact on the environment.вЂќ вЂ‹ вЂњThis battery technology is a step towards energy independence for the U.S.

вЂњTo me this cuts right to the heart of green energy,вЂќ said Jeff Chamberlain, who heads ArgonneвЂ™s battery research and development. The new development helps the VoltвЂ™s battery-a lithium-ion design similar to those in your cell phone or laptop-last longer, run more safely and perform better than batteries currently on the market. Department of EnergyвЂ™s Argonne National Laboratory. The batteryвЂ™s chemistry is based in part on a revolutionary breakthrough pioneered by scientists at the U.S. battery that powers the vehicle in electric mode. While much of the carвЂ™s engineering is unique, consumers may be unaware that some of its most extraordinary technology is inside the nearly 400-lb.

Chevy volt range on battery