Of their testing, they use a few uncommon electrode supplies, comparable to a chromium oxide (Cr₈O₂₁) and an natural polymer (a sulfurized polyacrylonitrile). Each of those have important weight benefits over the standard supplies utilized in right this moment’s batteries, though the ensuing batteries sometimes lasted lower than 500 cycles earlier than dropping to 80 p.c of their authentic capability.

However the putting experiment got here once they used LiSO₂CF₃ to rejuvenate a battery that had been manufactured as regular however had misplaced capability as a consequence of heavy use. Treating a lithium-iron phosphate battery that had misplaced 15 p.c of its authentic capability restored virtually all of what was misplaced, permitting it to carry over 99 p.c of its authentic cost. Additionally they ran a battery for repeated cycles with rejuvenation each few thousand cycles. At simply in need of 12,000 cycles, it nonetheless might be restored to 96 p.c of its authentic capability.

Earlier than you get too excited, there are a few issues price noting about lithium-iron phosphate cells. The primary is that, relative to their cost capability, they seem to be a bit heavy, so that they are usually utilized in massive, stationary batteries like those in grid-scale storage. They’re additionally long-lived on their very own; with cautious administration, they’ll take over 8,000 cycles earlier than they drop to 80 p.c of their preliminary capability. It isn’t clear whether or not related rejuvenation is feasible within the battery chemistries sometimes used for the types of units that the majority of us personal.

The ultimate warning is that the battery must be modified in order that recent electrolytes might be pumped in and the gases launched by the breakdown of the LiSO₂CF₃ eliminated. It is most secure if this type of entry is constructed into the battery from the beginning, somewhat than offered by modifying it a lot later, as was carried out right here. And the piping wanted would put a small dent within the battery’s capability per quantity if that’s the case.

All that mentioned, the remedy demonstrated right here would replenish even a well-managed battery nearer to its authentic capability. And it might largely restore the capability of one thing that hadn’t been rigorously managed. And that may enable us to get way more out of the preliminary expense of battery manufacturing. That means it would make sense for batteries destined for a big storage facility, the place a lot of them might doubtlessly be handled on the similar time.

Nature, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08465-y  (About DOIs).