Scientists discover 'fountain of youth' that could solve common household issue — here's how it could transform future tech

A team of Chinese scientists may have found the battery world's version of the fountain of youth.  

The group includes at least 23 experts from multiple universities who have discovered a way to rejuvenate spent packs after they fail to recharge. 

The elixir isn't born of some hidden fountain with magical powers. Rather, the Chinese team injected the battery cells with organic lithium salt molecules. The solution "liberates" lithium ions, freeing them from bonds and expelling unneeded gas, all per the journal Nature. 

The results are impressive, as longevity increased from 1,500 cycles to 12,000 during testing. The added productivity could be huge for electric vehicles and other devices that eventually need new batteries, according to a Tech Xplore summary. 

"This non-invasive and rapid process preserves cell integrity without necessitating disassembly. We leveraged machine learning to discover such functional salts and identified lithium trifluoromethanesulfinate (LiSO2CF3) with optimal electrochemical activity, potential, product formation, electrolyte solubility and specific capacity," the team wrote in Nature. 

When batteries operate, ions move between two electrodes through the electrolyte, according to a U.S. Energy Department fact sheet. The Chinese solution helps the ion flow without causing unwanted disruptions. 

Tech Xplore described the treatment as being fairly simple. 

"The rejuvenation process … is easy and straightforward — batches of the molecule are simply injected into the part of the dying battery's active lithium ions. After doing so, a small amount of gas is discharged and the battery is ready for recharging," the publication's Bob Yirka summarized. 

On the road, Car and Driver reported that current batteries typically have an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty, which is substantial. And because of better battery tech and component pricing, Goldman Sachs estimated that EV pack costs could fall 50% by 2026. 

For reference, Sustainability by Numbers reported that we will need tens of millions of tons of metals and minerals to sustain the cleaner energy transition by 2040. While a boatload, it pales in comparison to the 16.5 billion tons of planet-warming fossil fuels mined from Earth annually. The dirty energy is linked by NASA to increased risks for severe weather, including coastal storms and wildfires. 

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Battery recycling projects by Mercedes-Benz and others can help reduce the materials that are wasted when packs finally reach the end of their usefulness. The global recycling effort is forecast by data collector Statista to reach nearly $24 billion by 2033. 

Other efforts to extend fading battery use are in development as well. California's B2U Storage Solutions is using old EV packs to hold renewable energy, for example. 

And if the Chinese research can be scaled for use, it could make better an already great time to hit the road in an EV. Valuable tax credits of up to $7,500 remain available for new rides and up to $4,000 for used ones. You can also save up to $1,500 a year in gas and maintenance costs while limiting thousands of pounds of heat-trapping air pollution annually when you park a gas-guzzler, per the DOE.

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