Junjie Niu, professor, industrial & manufacturing engineering, recently showed Spectrum News Milwaukee how elements from the periodic table are combined to improve the performance of rechargeable batteries.
Each element has different properties alone — and when combined — leading to endless possibilities. Niu’s lab is using AI to quicken the pace of finding the best properties for each battery application. Different uses require different qualities, Niu said.
“It [AI] can tell you, ‘No, this is not possible. Even if you tried, you will not get the ideal result you expect.'”
The lab then tests the most promising blend of elements to validate. The chemistry must be made into a battery for this step.
The segment also featured M Shaikhul Islam, a PhD student in materials science & engineering, working in the Niu lab. He explained his research into how the element of nickel may help improve rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles.
“My target is to increase the nickel content so that we can get a higher capacity and higher energy in one charge,” Islam said. “The vehicles can run like 6 or 7 hours. My target is to increase this to double.”