While the lithium-ion batteries in disposable vapes are thrown away after a single use, researchers found that they can continue to perform at high capacity for hundreds of cycles.
The study, published in the journal Joule, was conducted by scientists from University College London (UCL) and the University of Oxford and supported by The Faraday Institution.
“The surprise for us were the results that pointed toward just how long these batteries could potentially cycle, Professor Paul Shearing, of the University of Oxford and UCL, said, according to media reports. “If you use a low charge and discharge rate, you can see that for over 700 cycles, you still have more than 90 percent capacity retention.
“That’s a pretty good battery. And these are just being discarded. They’re being chucked on the side of the road.”