Stronger, Safer, Cleaner Lithium Batteries

A major step forward for clean energy storage!

A team led by Prof. Malachi Noked, Prof. Doron Aurbach (Bar-Ilan University & INIES - Israel National Institute for Energy Storage), and Prof. Yitzhak Apeloig (Technion - Israel Institute of Technology) demonstrates how molecular design can dramatically improve the performance of high-nickel, cobalt-lean lithium batteries.

Their approach utilizes specially designed acyl silane additives that perform two functions simultaneously- strengthening the fragile battery interface and capturing the harmful hydrofluoric acid generated during cycling. In practice, this resulted in:

· Hold on to 90% of their capacity after 200 high-voltage cycles

· Resist degradation that usually shortens their lifespan

· Reduce the need for cobalt, a scarce and problematic resource

Why this matters?

High-nickel cathodes are seen as the future of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, but their instability has been a bottleneck. This work shows that clever molecular design can finally unlock their potential and move us closer to cleaner, longer-lasting energy solutions.

More durable batteries mean fewer raw materials mined, less waste, and a faster path to a low-carbon energy system. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2025.104622