Lithium is used to treat patients suffering from depression and bipolar disease. The intake of this lithium dose is crucial as it can prove dangerous if taken in excess. To help patients track their intake, scientists at the American Chemical Society have developed a tiny sensor which can detect lithium levels from their sweat in just 30 seconds.

MIT engineers have devised a new kind of wearable sensor that communicates wirelessly without requiring onboard chips or batteries. Their design, detailed today in the journal Science, opens a path toward chip-free wireless sensors.

Researchers at MIT have developed a rechargeable lithium-ion battery in the form of an ultra-long fiber that could be woven into fabrics. The battery could enable a wide variety of wearable electronic devices, and might even be used to make 3D-printed batteries in virtually any shape.

Lithium extraction from the deep sea, overfishing of deeper-water species, and the unexpected ocean impacts of wildfires on land are among 15 issues experts warn we ought to be addressing now.

Nothing lasts forever, not even the supposed long-lasting rechargeable batteries, be they AAs or AAAs bought in store or the batteries inside our cellphones, wireless earbuds, or cars. Batteries decay. A new study really sheds light on how we can design and manufacture battery electrodes to obtain a long cycle life for batteries.

Energy storage in lithium-sulfur batteries is potentially higher than in lithium-ion batteries but they are hampered by a short life. Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden have now identified the main bottlenecks in performance.

Geothermal power plants produce superheated brine, which is full of lithium and other minerals. Berkeley Lab scientists now assess the technology landscape for developing a domestic source of lithium.

Sodium is an abundant low-cost metal, and a main ingredient in seawater. This makes sodium-ion batteries an interesting and sustainable alternative for reducing our need for critical raw materials. However, one major challenge is to increase the capacity.

Researchers have used a promising combination of cathode and electrolyte to increase the energy density and stability of lithium metal batteries. The resulting battery achieves record-breaking values.

KIT researchers have shown how silicates make more durable lithium-ion batteries possible.