Redox-less electron transfer in ‘weird’ material could allow powerful batteries
Models predict yttrium difluorocarbene could hold twice the charge of lithium-ion cells
A material has been identified that should have the strange property of being able to both store and lose electrons without the usual associated redox reactions. The redox-less process, predicted to occur in a fluoride-ion based material, could enable long-lasting, high capacity next generation batteries.