At the Watt Laboratory – a research unit under Huawei – a new graphene-based Li-ion battery was recently introduced. This battery can withstand higher temperatures than current Li-ion batteries, thereby improving user safety.
The new battery can operate at temperatures of up to 60°C (140℉), which is 10°C (50℉) higher than conventional Li-ion batteries. In addition to its superior heat resistance, this next-generation Li-ion battery also offers double the lifespan of today’s standard Li-ion batteries, making it ideal for use in high-temperature environments around the world.
In addition, graphene Li-ion batteries also offer a longer driving range for EVs compared to current Li-ion batteries and can be used in drones — small unmanned aerial vehicles that typically generate a significant amount of heat.
Dr. Yangxing Li (Chief Scientist at Watt Laboratory) stated that to develop graphene Li-ion battery technology, they had to integrate three additional supporting technologies.
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Electrolyte Additive: A special additive was used in the electrolyte to eliminate water and prevent electrolyte components from evaporating at high temperatures.
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NMC Cathode Material: The use of NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) material for the cathode improves temperature tolerance and performance.
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Graphene Cooling Component: Graphene was incorporated to enhance the battery’s cooling efficiency.
Dr. Li further revealed that during high-temperature charge-discharge testing, the new graphene Li-ion battery remained 5°C (41℉) cooler than conventional Li-ion batteries. After 2,000 charge cycles at 60°C (140℉), the battery still retained 70% of its original capacity.
In other news, Watt Laboratory also reintroduced the fast-charging technology they successfully developed in 2015. With a 3,000mAh battery, it could reach 48% charge in just 5 minutes, and this new fast-charging technology is expected to soon be integrated into Huawei devices.
If all goes as planned, Huawei could announce a new product at the end of December, potentially featuring this fast-charging technology. However, no details about the upcoming device have been revealed yet, so readers may have to wait until Huawei’s official launch event in December.
