One thing that prevents cost-effective uptake of large-scale alternative energy, like solar and wind energy, is a lack of storage solutions. On the small scale, it is only an annoyance that battery technology has not really advanced in decades.

One thing that may help on the small scale is understanding how existing disposable Lithium batteries degrade during normal use, following on a study showing how they fail at high heat. The study follows calls from investigators in August 2015 for a safety review of all lithium battery-powered equipment on planes after a fire on board a grounded Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow Airport in 2013.

The fire was caused by the plane's disposable Lithium battery-powered emergency locator transmitter which sends out a radar signal to locate missing aircraft. The system is designed to work indefinitely until the aircraft is found but the results show the batteries may not be as resilient as they seem.

The study in Advanced Science shows the internal structural damage caused to batteries working under normal conditions in real-time.

Using cutting edge X-ray imaging techniques at ESRF, the team tracked different types of wear and tear which cause performance loss and linked this wear to design features of the commercial battery.

Real-time 3D images of active commercial Li/MnO2 disposable batteries were captured using X-ray computed tomography (CT) and advanced digital volume correlation software. The images formed cross-section time-lapse videos showing the damage occurring on the electrodes inside the battery in real-time. 

Donal Finegan of University College London, added, "We effectively mapped the activity and strain on the material inside the battery which will help manufacturers predict how a particular battery will perform during operation and over time. We see this is a valuable tool for optimizing the material used in commercial batteries, which will improve their resilience."