Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new aluminum foil technology that could enable longer-range electric vehicles and aircraft. The foil allows lithium-ion batteries to store more energy and maintain stability through repeated charging cycles.
In their research, the Georgia Tech team transformed traditional aluminum foil into a nanoscale structure. This novel aluminum material enables more lithium ions to react with the battery electrode. Tests showed the new foil can boost energy density of coin cell batteries by 14% compared to unmodified foil. The enhanced batteries also retained over 80% of their charge capacity after 200 charge/discharge cycles. According to the researchers, further development could integrate this aluminum foil tech to improve batteries for long-range electric cars and planes. The novel foil aims to increase driving and flight ranges while maintaining battery lifespan through repeated uses.