US Patent Issued to Iowa State University Research Foundation on Nov. 18 for "Magnetic field-assisted fast charging of lithium-ion batteries" (Iowa Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 18 -- United States Patent no. 12,476,291, issued on Nov. 18, was assigned to Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc. (Ames, Iowa).

"Magnetic field-assisted fast charging of lithium-ion batteries" was invented by Abhishek Sarkar (Ames, Iowa), Cajetan Ikenna Nlebedim (Ames, Iowa) and Pranav Shrotiya (Ames, Iowa).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Fast charging of a lithium-ion battery at 4C rate or 5C rate or more is improved by applying an external magnetic field relative to the battery to establish magnetic field lines that extend in a direction of primary movement of lithium ions toward the graphite anode during fast charging. Deleterious degradation of the graphite ...