A team of researchers has developed a high-performance solid-state lithium-metal battery. According to a statement from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), it features a unique liquid-solid electrolyte. The battery has an energy density of 1070 Wh/L, which is significantly higher than the 800 Wh/L of today’s lithium-ion batteries, it further states. Moreover, the manufacturing process is cost-effective and can be adapted to existing production lines for lithium-ion batteries.
In solid-state batteries, a solid electrolyte material is used instead of the liquid electrolyte. This can offer advantages such as higher energy density and reduced fire risk. According to the researchers, at the material level, the higher energy density of the cell results from the introduction of a thin lithium-metal anode, along with a sufficiently thin solid electrolyte separator. The production costs are also manageable and are estimated by the researchers to be less than 150 euros per kWh.
For the electrolyte of the prototype, a polymerized solid nanocomposite material based on an ionic liquid was developed, it further states. This enables a liquid-to-solid solidification approach patented by Empa, which allows for the production of a very thin separator of 20 micrometers, while also enabling the use of a thick cathode of 100 micrometers and a compact battery cell stack. Next, the research team plans to focus on scaling up this technology.
