Lithium Strips Lead Next-Gen Batteries To Record-Breaking Capacity

Jul, 2021 - By SMI

The US-based research group has come up with long-lasting design for lithium metal battery which stays functional for a range of charging cycles.

In a specifically promising design of the batteries of next-generation, utilizes pure lithium-metal, the substance with outstanding energy density which could foresee electric vehicles travelling way farther upon each charge. The US-based research group has put a notable step forward using this technology, by coming with long-lasting design for lithium metal battery which stays functional for a range of charging cycles that is record-breaking.

The thought behind such battery types is to switch off the graphite utilized in anode component with pure lithium-metal, which is able to hold over 10x the energy. Termed as the dream material by certain researchers, the lithium-metal is looked up as key for helping to break through the major bottleneck of energy storage, however, scientists have fought with issues of longevity with so far developed versions quickly failing during their use. One among the reasons behind that failure is those complex reactions which occur surrounding the anode, impacting the thin film upon its top called as solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). The film handles the molecules entering the anode through the solution of electrolyte, from which electrons port back and forth from and to the electrode of the battery, called as cathode. It is frequently thought that filling up the lithium amount within this anode was a way for addressing this issue, however, the team achieved success through a different approach.

The team features the novel design’s success to the way thinner strips help an improved SEI and hence better interactions among the anode and electrolyte, in comparison with thicker strips which smother crucial electrochemical reactions. With the key being solved regarding the issue with batteries of lithium metal, the authors now hope to continue improving the technology by the multi-institute consortium called as Battery500 that is working for a 500 Wh/kg energy density.