materiaux

The first hours of a lithium-ion battery’s life largely determine just how well it will perform. In those moments, a set of molecules self-assembles into a structure inside the battery that will affect the battery for years to come.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials could offer new building blocks for future technologies — but only if scientists can control growth and properties. Strain, caused by “stretching” or “bunching” the atomic structure as a crystal grows, is one way to control these properties.