Hydrogen may be responsible for your cell phone battery deteriorating, study says

In recent years, major smartphone and other electronic device manufacturers have overcome impressive barriers to the lifespan of rechargeable batteries. However, lithium-ion models still face problems such as low lifespan and charging problems that can be caused by leakage of hydrogen particles.

A study published in the journal Science and conducted by researchers from Stamford and Colorado Universities points out that hydrogen leakage in the chemical reaction of a lithium-ion battery reduces the efficiency and lifespan of the part. Electrodes called cathodes and anodes in a battery allow lithium ions to produce energy through a chemical reaction, but this does not always happen in the most efficient way.

According to the research, when the particles leave the anode and move towards the cathode, hydrogen molecules such as protons and electrons can also be transported. According to Stamford University scientist Gang Wan, this process creates all the unwanted problems we see when using these batteries.

More powerful batteries are subject to more leakage

This hypothesis of hydrogen leakage in batteries has been observed for some time, but because the atoms of this element are so small, it was difficult to understand the movement of the particles.

So the researchers replaced hydrogen molecules with deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen, mapped their positions, and concluded that hydrogen was one of the materials most likely to cause the loss of efficiency of lithium ions at the cathode.

With the discovery, the expectation is that other studies will help industry alleviate or solve such problems. However, hydrogen leakage is much more likely to occur in devices with increasingly powerful batteries charged with high voltage.

It’s worth remembering that the study only looked at lithium-ion batteries in a specific scenario and further research is needed. However, this is already a way to understand the reasons why our battery drains so quickly even with low usage.