Dong Research Improves Lithium-Ion Battery Performance with Light

Professor Lifeng Dong, the Emma K. and Carl R. N. Malmstrom Endowed Chair in Physics, has collaborated with researchers from Qingdao University of Science and Technology to advance battery technology. Their recent study, "Enhancing Lithium-Ion Battery Performance with Photoactive LiFePO4/CsPbBr3 Quantum Dots Composite Cathodes”, was published in Advanced Functional Materials. The research team developed an innovative material by combining lithium iron phosphate with quantum dots, significantly enhancing battery performance. The composite achieves up to 16% higher charge and discharge capacities under simulated sunlight while maintaining impressive efficiency over 200 cycles. One remarkable discovery is the composite’s ability to achieve 115.2% energy efficiency when charged in the dark and discharged under light, showcasing its unique capacity to harness light for energy storage. These findings open exciting possibilities for next-generation, light-assisted batteries, offering transformative potential for energy storage solutions across various applications.