UNLV physics professor Michael Pravica has founded a startup called X-Regen that aims to use high-energy X-rays to restore capacity in aging lithium-ion batteries, including those in electric vehicles, smartphones and laptops. The technology would allow drivers to pull into a shop for an X-ray treatment during routine maintenance, potentially regenerating a battery from 60 percent capacity back to 85 or 90 percent, Pravica said.
Pravica, who holds a doctorate in experimental condensed matter physics, said his research since 2011 shows that lithium ions become trapped in microscopic fractures as batteries degrade. He discovered that X-rays can free those trapped ions and restore the battery's ability to hold a charge. "The whole essence of the battery is the lithium ions move. When they can't move, that's when the battery has a problem," he said. "We can get them to move again with X-rays."
The approach could spare EV owners the cost of full battery replacements, which can run up to $20,000, and reduce toxic waste from batteries discarded in landfills. Preliminary tests this year showed a slight increase in capacity, which Pravica said gave the team confidence to continue. "We're not ready for prime time, but we're getting some results and they're looking pretty good," he said.
X-Regen has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development. UNLV's Office of Economic Development will also receive nearly $6 million over four years through the National Science Foundation's Accelerating Research Translation program, one of only eight universities nationally selected for the grant.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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