New ion speed record holds potential for faster battery charging, biosensing

(Funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy)
Scientists from Washington State University and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have discovered a way to make ions move more than ten times faster in mixed organic ion-electronic conductors. These conductors combine the advantages of the ion signaling used by many biological systems with the electron signaling used by computers. The new development speeds up ion movement in these conductors by using molecules that attract and concentrate ions into a separate nanochannel creating a type of tiny β€œion superhighway.” These types of conductors hold a lot of potential because they allow movement of both ions and electrons at once, which is critical for battery charging and energy storage.

https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2024/11/19/new-ion-speed-record-holds-potential-for-faster-battery-charging-biosensing/