Sejong Univ. researchers claim breakthrough in faster-charging battery tech

Kim Sun-jae / Courtesy of Sejong University

Sejong University said Tuesday that a research team had developed a next-generation silicon anode that enables faster charging and longer battery life, a potential advance for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

The team, led by Yang Hyeon-woo and Kim Sun-jae of the department of nanotechnology and advanced materials engineering, developed a freestanding silicon anode that maintains high performance without conventional components like current collectors, binders or conductive additives.

The findings were published online April 6 in Advanced Fiber Materials, an international journal with an impact factor of 21.3 — a measure of how often its research is cited — placing it among the more influential publications in its field, according to the university.

The researchers at Sejong University introduced a novel electrode architecture that uses carbon nanofibers as a foundational framework, a design intended to overcome the historic fragility of silicon-based components. By engineering precise hydrolysis and condensation reactions directly onto the surface of each fiber, the team achieved a uniform silicon coating.

Yang Hyeon-woo / Courtesy of Sejong University

This structural refinement not only bolsters the anode’s physical stability — preventing the degradation typical of repeated charging cycles — but also significantly enhances electrical connectivity, a crucial step toward the next generation of high-endurance energy storage.

“Silicon anodes have faced limitations due to structural damage during repeated charge and discharge cycles despite their high capacity,” Kim said. “This study presents a new design approach that could overcome those issues and be widely applied in next-generation lithium-ion batteries where fast charging and long life are critical,” Kim said.

The research was supported by the Ministry of Education’s Basic Science Research Capacity Enhancement Program and the National Research Foundation of Korea.