Researchers at UCLA’s California NanoSystems Institute have discovered a method to deposit lithium metal on surfaces without the typical corrosion, revealing the true form of lithium for the first time. Traditionally, lithium’s rapid reaction with chemicals has resulted in immediate corrosion during its deposition on electrodes. The prevalent use of lithium-ion batteries in devices ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles might soon be challenged by the advancements in lithium-metal battery technology. Unlike lithium-ion batteries that trap lithium atoms in a carbon cage, lithium-metal batteries directly coat the electrode with metallic lithium. This direct coating method permits tenfold more lithium in … Continue reading 12-sided Power Dodecahedron: UCLA Unmasks the True Shape of Lithium