Batteries Overview - Concepedia

Principles

Definition

Batteries is the academic field dedicated to the study, design, and application of electrochemical systems capable of storing and releasing electrical energy through reversible chemical reactions. This field investigates the fundamental principles governing energy conversion and storage in such devices, focusing on the materials science of electrodes and electrolytes, cell architecture, performance metrics like energy and power density, cycle life, and safety, as well as degradation mechanisms. Its significance lies in enabling portable electronics, electric mobility, grid-scale energy storage, and the effective integration of intermittent renewable energy sources.

Ontological type

Materials and Degradation

Battery Technologies

Reactor Integration

Key developments

Key Figures

Intercalation Foundations era

John B. Goodenough [1] studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [3] and Carnegie Mellon University [4] during this era. The landmark study LixCoO2 (0<x<-1): A new cathode material for batteries of high energy density [7] introduced a layered oxide cathode framework that unlocked reversible lithium insertion and high energy density, shaping the core chemistry of this era. M. Stanley Whittingham [2] conducted influential work at Stanford University [5] and Binghamton University [6] during this era. The 1976 paper Electrical Energy Storage and Intercalation Chemistry [8] offered a comprehensive view of intercalation chemistry and energy storage principles, underpinning SEI concepts and diffusion models that guided the early design of rechargeable lithium systems.

Nanoscale Design & Diagnostics era

Michel Armand[1] operated across Université Joseph Fourier[3] and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne[4] in this nanoscale design and diagnostics era. His work on nanostructured design and mechanistic insights is exemplified by Building better batteries[6], which captured core concepts for high-rate, high-capacity chemistries and underscored why nanoscale architecture matters for accommodating strain and accelerating ion transport. Gerbrand Ceder[2], with affiliations at Massachusetts Institute of Technology[5] and Université Joseph Fourier[3], contributed to the nanoscale battery agenda in this era. His papers Electrodes with High Power and High Capacity for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries[8] (2006) and Battery materials for ultrafast charging and discharging[7] (2009) advanced design principles for high-power, high-capacity electrodes, highlighting the role of materials selection and lattice dynamics in enabling ultrafast operation within nanoscale diagnostics.

Interphase Engineering & Scaling era

John B. Goodenough [1], with affiliations including Carnegie Mellon University [3] and the National University of Singapore [4], epitomizes foundational work in this era on battery chemistry and interfacial stability. His papers The Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery: A Perspective [7], Pathways for practical high-energy long-cycling lithium metal batteries [8], and A Superior Low-Cost Cathode for a Na-Ion Battery [9] provided foundational perspectives and practical strategies for high-energy, long-life Li and Na systems, shaping interphase engineering in this era. Arumugam Manthiram [2], whose appointments included University of California, San Diego [5] and Stony Brook University [6], embodies the interphase-centric approach in this era. His work Challenges and Prospects of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries [10] and Lithium-sulfur batteries with a microporous carbon paper as a bifunctional interlayer [11] advanced understanding of Li-S interfacial challenges and interlayer strategies to suppress shuttle effects, accelerating scalable interfacial designs for high-energy batteries.