Chinese Scientists Achieve Major Breakthrough in Lithium Battery Electrolyte, Doubling Range Potential

A joint research team from Nankai University and the Shanghai Institute of Space Power Sources, among other institutions, has recently achieved a groundbreaking breakthrough in core lithium-ion battery technology. By developing a novel electrolyte, the new battery demonstrates the potential to double its energy capacity under the same volume and weight constraints, while significantly enhancing low-temperature performance. The findings were published in the early hours of the 26th in the prestigious international journal Nature. Conventional lithium-ion battery electrolytes contain oxygen, which facilitates lithium salt dissolution but limits charge-transfer efficiency, thereby constraining both energy density and low-temperature performance. The newly developed electrolyte reconstructs the "highway" for ion transport, substantially improving the battery's energy efficiency, stability, and temperature adaptability—laying a solid foundation for next-generation high-performance batteries.