batteries

MIT engineers have created a kind of beltway that allows for the rapid transit of electrical energy through a well-known battery material, an advance that could usher in smaller, lighter batteries — for cell phones and other devices — that could recharge in seconds rather than hours.

The work could also allow for the quick recharging of batteries in electric cars, although that particular application would be limited by the amount of power available to a homeowner through the electric grid.

Prof. Chiang will be speaking to the MIT Club of Boston on "Battery Technology Role in Electrification of Vehicles."  Prof. Chiang is founder of A123 Systems, one of the world's leaders in high-power lithium ion battery technology. Tickets for the Feb. 17 event may be purchased through the MIT Alumni Association's Infinite Connection.

The Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at MIT announced it is awarding $700,000 in grants to nine MIT research teams working on early-stage discoveries. These projects have the potential to make a significant impact on our quality of life by revolutionizing disease therapies, allergy diagnosis, HIV care in the developing world, drug discovery, energy-efficient displays, energy storage, and nanoscale imaging.

The MIT Energy Initiative's second round of seed grants for energy research, announced this week, will go toward a wide array of research topics ranging from micro-hydropower and solar-thermal power projects for developing countries, to the development of novel materials for insulation or for power generation, to computer software that can help to optimize energy use in cities or in a whole nation.

Professors Belcher and Chiang work toward new battery developments. See the MIT News Office.