Aboard the Chinese space station “Tiangong,” unique experiments are being conducted aimed at creating safer and more powerful power cells for spacecraft. The research is carried out by Professor Zhang Hongzhang of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, who is the second civilian specialist China has sent into space. He arrived at the station as part of the crew for the “Shenzhou-21” mission, launched on October 31, 2025. The primary focus of the work is studying the behavior of lithium-ion accumulators under microgravity conditions. Although such batteries have been utilized in space for over twenty years, grasping the subtleties of their operation in orbit remains critically important. As observers note, both the USA and China seek to establish their supremacy in space, and any novel discoveries in this area could grant a significant competitive edge to either side. The uniqueness of the experiment lies in the ability to investigate the influence of gravity in isolation, which is virtually impossible on Earth, where batteries are affected by a complex combination of gravitational and electric fields. In the weightless environment of the “Tiangong” station, Zhang Hongzhang is meticulously analyzing key processes, such as ion movement between electrodes during charging. He pays special attention to observing the distribution of chemical substances in the electrolyte and studying the growth of lithium dendrites—microscopic needle-like structures on the electrodes that can shorten battery lifespan and pose a safety hazard. As reported by the Chinese state media, Zhang Hongzhang himself views his work as a great responsibility and privilege, emphasizing that every experiment on the station embodies the strenuous efforts of ground-based scientists. The outcomes of these studies are expected not only to improve existing power systems in near-Earth orbit but also to lay the groundwork for developing a new generation of more capacious and dependable lithium-ion batteries for forthcoming space endeavors.
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