Anode Material for Safer Fast-Charging Batteries

Currently, two materials are used as anodes in most commercially available lithium-ion batteries that power items like cellphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. The most common, a graphite anode, is extremely energy dense — a lithium-ion battery with a graphite anode can power a car for hundreds of miles without needing to be recharged; however, recharging a graphite anode too quickly can result in fire and explosions due to a process called lithium metal plating. A safer alternative, the lithium titanate anode, can be recharged rapidly but results in a significant decrease in energy density, which means the battery needs to be recharged more frequently.