by Riko Seibo
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 08, 2026
A lithium ion battery experiment has been completed aboard China’s Tiangong space station, focusing on basic electrochemical processes that govern performance and lifetime. Researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported the work, which was carried out by the three astronauts of the Shenzhou XXI crew.
The experiment is designed to clarify how internal battery processes behave when gravity is removed from the system. According to the institute, the goal is to separate the effects of gravity from electric fields inside the cells so that their individual roles in shaping battery behavior can be identified.
Lithium ion batteries are widely used in spacecraft because they provide high energy density and stable operation. The institute noted that on Earth it remains difficult to determine how active species and other chemicals are distributed inside the electrolyte, even though this distribution strongly influences power output and cycle life.
“The fundamental challenge on the ground lies in gravity,” said the institute. “Gravity is constantly intertwined with electric fields, making it difficult to isolate the influence of gravity on internal battery processes.”
In orbit, the microgravity conditions on Tiangong provide a setting where battery operation can be observed without the normal influence of weight-driven flows. The research team expects that this environment will reveal how electrochemical and transport phenomena respond when gravitational effects are minimized.
According to the institute, understanding these mechanisms in microgravity will help resolve current limits in models that couple gravitational and electric fields inside batteries. The findings are expected to support improvements to power systems already deployed in space and guide the development of safer batteries with higher energy density for future missions.
Related Links
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com
