Korean team's battery breakthrough locks anode materials in 5 seconds

Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea have developed a rapid and eco-friendly method called condensation-induced self-assembly (CISA) to fabricate porous metal oxides for lithium-ion battery anodes. Unlike traditional evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA), which is slow and prone to uneven mixing and pore collapse, CISA uses a chemical condensation reaction of metal alkoxides in acidic acetone to form uniform mesoporous metal oxides within just five seconds. This process enables full solvent recovery due to the recyclable, non-contaminating nature of acetone, supporting sustainable and low-waste material production. The CISA method allows for the uniform incorporation of conductive nanomaterials such as MXenes and carbon nanotubes into metal oxide matrices, overcoming previous challenges where these conductive additives would detach during drying and disrupt electron pathways. The resulting composites, including niobium oxide–MXene, exhibit high surface areas, stable crystalline structures, and regular pores that facilitate rapid