Perfectly Imperfect: Disorder in Materials Enables Ultra-Fast Charging
Researchers at Humboldt-Universität develop unusual strategy to increase battery performance
Led by Prof. Dr. Nicola Pinna and Dr. Patrícia Russo from the Department of Chemistry at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU), scientists have succeeded in disrupting the atomic order of batteries in a targeted manner. The result: high-performance anodes for lithium and sodium-ion batteries with exceptional high charging speed and stability - a decisive step towards safer and longer-lasting energy storage systems.
Imperfection as a tool in material design
Traditional battery materials rely on highly ordered crystal structures to provide predictable pathways for ion transport. However, such perfection often comes at the cost of structural rigidity, limited ion mobility, and poor performance at high charge rates. In two studies published in Nature Communications and Advanced Materials the researchers managed to flip the paradigm: their research shows that targeted disorder - not order - can enhance ionic conductivity, increase cycling stability, and unlock novel storage mechanisms of batteries. By shifting away from the conventional design rules, the team’s approach could redefine material design strategies across the field. “Our results show that targeted imperfection can be a powerful tool in material design”, says Professor Nicola Pinna. Dr. Patrícia Russo added: “By deliberately breaking the atomic order, we are opening up completely new avenues for more powerful, longer-lasting and therefore more sustainable high-performance batteries”.
New perspectives for electric cars, data storage and battery technology
The team has developed new materials for more powerful and longer-lasting batteries through structural disorder in niobium-tungsten oxides and controlled amorphisation - this describes the transition of the material to a disordered state - in iron niobate. A particularly durable material has been produced for lithium-ion batteries: Even after 1,000 charging cycles, a large proportion of the original performance is retained. A new type of material has also been developed for sodium-ion batteries, a more environmentally friendly alternative. It changes significantly when first charged, but retains important structures. This results in a very high storage capacity and a long service life of over 2,600 charging cycles with almost the same performance.
The combination of disordered lithium anodes and amorphous sodium anodes opens up new perspectives for ultra-fast charging electric vehicles, stationary storage solutions for renewable energies and safe alternatives to previous battery technologies. The studies underline the potential of atomic design principles to solve global energy problems.
Publications:
A Partially Disordered Crystallographic Shear Block Structure as Fast-Charging Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Liu, Y., Buzanich, A. G., Montoro, L. A., Liu, H., Liu, Y., Emmerling, F., Russo, P. A., Pinna, N.
Nature Communications 16, 6507 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61646-9
FeNb2O6 as a High-Performance Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries Enabled by Structural Amorphization Coupled with NbO6 Local Ordering
Liu, Y., Buzanich, A. G., Alippi, P., Montoro, L. A., Lee, K-S., Jeon, T., Weißer, K., Karlsen, M.A., Russo, P. A., Pinna, N.
Advanced Materials e04100, (2025). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202504100
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Nicola Pinna und Dr. Patrícia Russo
Department of Chemistry at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
+49 30 2093-82782
nicola.pinna(at)hu-berlin.de
patricia.russo(at)hu-berlin.de
www.chemie.hu-berlin.de
HU press release, 29.07.2025