Superionic lithium transport via multiple coordination environments defined by two-anion packing. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38359130/)

These scientists wanted to find a way to make materials that can store energy more efficiently. They decided to focus on a special type of material that can help positively charged particles, called cations, move around quickly. Usually, scientists only look at a small group of materials for this, but these scientists wanted to explore a wider range of possibilities.

To do this, they used two types of negatively charged particles, called anions, to create a pathway that allows lithium ions to move easily in three dimensions. They made a special material called Li(7)Si(2)S(7)I, which is really good at conducting lithium ions. This material has a unique structure that helps the lithium ions move smoothly, kind of like how cars move on a highway.

By using different combinations of elements and arranging them in a specific way, the scientists created a material that can conduct lithium ions very efficiently. This opens up a lot of new possibilities for making better energy storage devices in the future.

Han G., Vasylenko A., Daniels LM., Collins CM., Corti L., Chen R., Niu H., Manning TD., Antypov D., Dyer MS., Lim J., Zanella M., Sonni M., Bahri M., Jo H., Dang Y., Robertson CM., Blanc F., Hardwick LJ., Browning ND., Claridge JB., Rosseinsky MJ. Superionic lithium transport via multiple coordination environments defined by two-anion packing. Science. 2024 Feb 16;383(6684):739-745. doi: 10.1126/science.adh5115. Epub 2024 Feb 15.