The new method relies on the way through the solid lithium ion conductor lattice and associates it with the way of inhibiting ion migration, which helps to discover new materials with enhanced ion mobility that can support rapid charging and discharging.

　　The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) R&D team collaborated with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), BMW Group and Tokyo Institute of Technology to develop a new method to change the ion mobility and oxidation resistance of lithium ion conductors. Latticedynamics is a key component of the development of rechargeable batteries. This method may accelerate the development of high-energy solid-state lithium batteries and other energy storage and delivery devices (such as fuel cells).　　The new method relies on the way through the solid lithium ion conductor lattice and associates it with the way of inhibiting ion migration, which helps to discover new materials with enhanced ion mobility that can support rapid charging and discharging. At the same time, this method can be used to reduce the reactivity of the material with the battery electrode, thereby shortening its service life. Better ion mobility and lower reactivity, these two characteristics are often mutually exclusive.　　The original idea of the MIT team was to understand and control the water splitting catalyst and apply it to ion conduction. This process is not only the core of rechargeable batteries, but also the core of other key technologies such as fuel cells and desalination systems. The researchers observed a good correlation between the measured lattice properties and the conductivity of lithium ion conductor materials. The vibration frequency of lithium itself can be subtly changed by adjusting its lattice structure, using chemical substitution or dopants, to subtly change the structural arrangement of atoms.　　The researchers said that this new method can provide a powerful tool for the development of new materials with better performance, thereby significantly increasing the capacity of the storable battery and improving safety. The technology is also suitable for analyzing materials for other electrochemical processes, such as solid oxide fuel cells, membrane-based desalination systems, or oxygen production reactions. The project received support from BMW, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.