Nanocrystallinity effects in lithium battery materials

Nanostructured materials offer the possibility to make use of small transport lengths and small separation distances almost like in fluids, but unlike fluids, the higher structural stability of the solid state can be taken advantage of. Recent findings in the field of Li-batteries highlight the potential for room temperature applications. This paper addresses advantages and disadvantages of nanostructured matter with respect to stability, storage capacity, voltage and charging/discharging rates. In this context we discuss a novel interfacial storage mechanism for lithium which, in the mesoscopic case, forms a bridge between batteries and capacitors.