The coating significantly extends the battery's life and reduces the problems that cause batteries to burst into flames.

What they learned could help manufacturers design more reliable and longer-lasting batteries for smartphones and cars.

In the decade since LCLS produced its first light, it has pushed boundaries in countless areas of discovery.

New research offers the first complete picture of why a promising approach of stuffing more lithium into battery cathodes leads to their failure. A better understanding of this could be the key to smaller phone batteries and electric cars that drive farther between charges.