As batteries become increasingly important in a world filled with portable electronics, Montana State University is poised to push the boundaries of energy storage technology as part of a $10 million effort involving universities, national labs and industry partners.

MSU was recently awarded more than $3.5 million from the Army Research Lab to develop a new generation of batteries that can hold more power and charge faster while also being safer and more resilient to extreme environments. The project is being led by University of Maryland and includes Stony Brook University, the University of Texas at Austin, Argonne and Brookhaven national laboratories and several private companies.