(Press-News.org) A battery's positive end (cathode) and negative end (anode) are two vital components that largely define how well it can perform. In particular, researchers have focused on improving the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of cathode design, since they can account for a significant amount of the costs for producing lithium batteries.
Lithium-manganese-rich oxides are promising cathode candidates, because they don't use cobalt - which is expensive, scarce, and fraught with issues around non-ethical mining operations. However, Jahn-Teller (CJT) distortions of Manganese ions pose a major drawback to their use. Counteracting this instability has been a major roadblock until researchers at the at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR) at Tohoku University demonstrated a paradigm that suppresses the root cause of CJT distortions. The resulting cathode is long-lasting, with near-perfect cycling stability.
The scientific significance of this research lies in its innovative use of "interfacial orbital engineering" to solve structural challenges that have plagued manganese-based batteries for decades. Rather than relying on macroscopic coatings or doping, the researchers addressed the root cause at the atomic and electronic levels, utilizing "orbital geometric frustration" at noncollinear interfaces to effectively neutralize the cooperative Jahn-Teller distortions that typically lead to material collapse. This design philosophy, rooted in electronic orbital topology, not only achieved near-perfect cycling stability (zero degradation after 500 cycles) but also established a bridge between electrochemistry and solid-state physics, providing a new universal paradigm for developing high-performance, distortion-resistant energy materials.
This breakthrough heralds the arrival of cheaper, more durable, and eco-friendly battery technology in everyday life. Current batteries for electric vehicles and smartphones rely heavily on problematic cobalt; in contrast, manganese is abundant, low-cost, and environmentally benign.
This advancement means we can look forward to more affordable electric vehicles with reliable driving ranges, without the constant worry of significant battery degradation over time. More importantly, stable and inexpensive manganese-based batteries can support large-scale storage for wind and solar energy, accelerating the global transition to clean energy, reducing carbon emissions, and ensuring long-term ecological security for our living environment.
"Given the cost advantages of manganese, Mn-based oxides also represent the most commercially promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries," says Distinguished Professor Hao Li (WPI-AIMR), explaining another potential direction for this innovative research in the future.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on February 11, 2026.
END
Researchers create distortion-resistant energy materials to improve lithium-ion batteries
2026-02-26
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Scientists create the most detailed molecular map to date of the developing Down syndrome brain
2026-02-26
SINGAPORE, 26 FEBRUARY 2026—Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School, working with collaborators at Imperial College London and partners in Europe and the United States, have uncovered new insights into how an additional copy of chromosome 21 alters brain development in Down syndrome.
Down syndrome is caused by an additional copy of chromosome 21, but for decades, scientists have struggled to understand how this extra chromosome leads to intellectual disability. The new study, published in Nature Medicine, helps open this long standing “black box” by identifying ...
Nutrient uptake gets to the root of roots
2026-02-26
Liverwort uses hair-like rhizoids to collect phosphorus from its surroundings and deliver it to where it is needed. This Kobe University discovery sheds light on the evolution of one of the most essential features of land plants: roots for nutrient acquisition.
For plants to survive on land, they need a mechanism to absorb water and nutrients from their surroundings. While many land plants have evolved structures such as roots and vascular tissue to fill this role, simple land plants like mosses and liverwort, collectively known as bryophytes, are able to grow and reproduce ...
Aspirin not a quick fix for preventing bowel cancer
2026-02-26
Daily aspirin use does not offer a quick or reliable way to prevent bowel cancer in the general population and carries immediate risks of serious bleeding, a new Cochrane review finds.
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. Prevention typically involves following a healthy lifestyle and periodically undergoing routine screening tests. In recent years, researchers have also explored the role of off-the-shelf medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), in reducing the incidence of bowel cancer.
NSAIDs, which include ibuprofen and aspirin, ...
HPV vaccination provides “sustained protection” against cervical cancer
2026-02-26
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is associated with a significantly reduced risk of invasive cervical cancer, with no indication of waning protection up to 18 years after vaccination, finds a study from Sweden published by The BMJ today.
HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and many countries offer vaccination to protect girls against cervical cancer, and other related cancers, in later life.
But evidence on the long term durability ...
Many post-authorization studies fail to comply with public disclosure rules
2026-02-26
Many post-authorisation studies registered with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) fail to comply with legal requirements and recommendations to make their findings public, finds a study published by The BMJ today.
Post-authorisation studies (PAS) are carried out after a medicine is approved to collect further “real-world” data about its safety and effectiveness.
The results show that only 6 of every 10 finalised and ongoing post-authorisation studies had uploaded a protocol and less than 7 of every 10 finalised post-authorisation studies had uploaded results to the EMA’s database.
Making post-authorisation study protocols and ...
GLP-1 drugs combined with healthy lifestyle habits linked with reduced cardiovascular risk among diabetes patients
2026-02-26
Embargoed for release: Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 6:30 PM ET
Key points:
In a study of heart health among adults living with type 2 diabetes (T2D), the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in combination with adherence to healthy lifestyle habits was linked with reduced risk of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), including heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular disease death. Those who used a GLP-1 RA and adhered to six to eight healthy habits had a 43% lower risk compared to those who did not use a GLP-1 RA and adhered to three or fewer healthy habits.
The study also found that GLP-1 RA usage and healthy habits independently benefited heart health, though ...
Solved: New analysis of Apollo Moon samples finally settles debate about lunar magnetic field
2026-02-26
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 00:00 GMT THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY (19:00 ET WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY) 2026
Researchers from the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, have resolved a long-standing debate about the strength of the Moon’s magnetic field. For decades, scientists have argued whether the Moon had a strong or weak magnetic field during its early history (3.5 - 4 billion years ago). Now a new analysis – published today (26 February) in Nature Geoscience – shows that both sides of the debate are effectively ...
University of Birmingham to host national computing center
2026-02-26
The University of Birmingham has secured £18 million of funding to create a cutting-edge national computing centre that will help accelerate research and innovation across the UK.
Hosted at the University, the Baskerville National Compute Resource (NCR) will benefit researchers in every discipline - from climate science and healthcare to engineering, social sciences, and the arts.
Funded by ...
Play nicely: Children who are not friends connect better through play when given a goal
2026-02-26
Play nicely: Children who are not friends connect better through play when given a goal
Getting children to play together cooperatively depends less on their personal social skills and more on what they are doing – especially if they are not friends – a study shows.
“Play nicely, children,” has been a familiar plea of stressed-out parents and teachers since time immemorial. Now, new research suggests that getting children to play together cooperatively may depend less on their social skills than the type of play involved – and who they are playing with.
In a new study, researchers at the Universities ...
Surviving the extreme temperatures of the climate crisis calls for a revolution in home and building design
2026-02-26
People spend 90% of their lives in buildings, which act as a protective ‘third skin’ from the elements, but climates are becoming more extreme and so the design of places we live and work in must be radically overhauled to keep people at safe temperatures indoors.
Many homes and workplaces are not designed to withstand the extreme weather fluctuations we will increasingly experience in a hotter future.
The good news is that a new generation of architects and engineers are now creating the climate-ready buildings that can keep occupants thermally safe and comfortable ...