Solid-state batteries are Finally Change the World
Solid-state battery cells currently undergoing testing that, when released to the general public, will become a long-awaited revolution in energy. This new technology promises to be safer and more efficient than anything we've on the market now. it'll affect that which we consider mundane — power tools which we consider exceptional — medical devices, spacecraft, and therefore the innovative new vehicle designs. we've known about this technology for hundreds of years, yet so far we've only been ready to take small steps towards its creation. Billions of dollars are pouring into research and billions more are going to be made once the technology has been perfected and released.
 |
| solid-state battery cell |
Compared to liquid electrolyte batteries, solid-state batteries have low flammability, high electrochemical stability, high cathode potential and high energy density. Due to their low weight and small size, thin-film batteries provide a higher energy density for small electronic devices such as pacemakers, wireless sensors, smart cards and RFID tags. In addition to solving affordability and scalability issues, solid-state batteries also pose technological challenges.
Solid state batteries not currently used in mass vehicles promise a higher energy density compared to lithium-ion batteries used today in electric vehicles. Solid Power uses a sulfur-based cell and promises that its solid electrolyte is non-flammable and that its batteries can offer more than 50 percent more energy density. With relatively low flammability, higher electrochemical stability, higher potent cathodes and higher energy density compared to liquid electrolyte batteries compared to liquid electrolyte batteries, high performance, incredible safety and low manufacturing costs could be revolutionary for many industries that depend on battery technology.
Solid state batteries are battery technologies that use solid electrodes and solid electrolytes instead of liquid polymer or gel electrolytes in lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries. Solid Power is the industry's leading manufacturer of solid-state rechargeable batteries for the electric vehicle and mobile phone markets. As a result, Solid Powers Solid State Batteries are safe and stable over a broad temperature range, offer a 50-75% increase in energy density compared to commercial rechargeable batteries and permit cheaper, more energy-intensive battery packs designed to be compatible with traditional lithium-ion manufacturing processes.
The first solid electrolytes were discovered in the 19th century, but several disadvantages, such as low energy density, prevented widespread use. In the early 2010s, developments in the late 20th and early 21st centuries led to renewed interest in solid-state battery technology in the context of electric vehicles. Durable, fast-rechargeable batteries were vital to the expansion of the electric car market, but today's lithium-ion batteries did not meet this demand because they are heavy, costly and longer to charge.
For decades, researchers have been trying to exploit the potential of solid-state lithium-metal batteries, which can store and charge more energy in the same volume in a fraction of the time compared to conventional lithium ion batteries. Scientists have focused on studying the formation of lithium dendrites to see if they can produce better, more durable batteries for electric vehicles. Li and his team have developed stable lithium-metal solid state batteries that can be charged and discharged 10,000 times or more per cycle and have high current densities.
The anode is made from lithium metal and formed needle-like structures called dendrites on the surface. Dendrites can end up forming sharp points that can pierce the battery and cause short circuits and other problems. Stable lithium-metal batteries are designed to add self-healing technology to close cracks in which dendrites form.
Lithium-metal dendrites at the anode penetrate the separator and grow to the cathode. The battery is then discharged with lithium to flow from the anodes to the cathodes. Lithium-ion batteries were applied with a liquid electrolyte solution to smartphones, power tools and electric vehicles.
When you look at the picture above, Li-ion batteries use a separator to hold the cathode and anode in liquid electrolyte solution. Current lithium-ion batteries run the risk of being damaged by external forces due to temperature changes or leaks, as they use liquid electrolyte solution. Solid state batteries, on the other hand, use solid electrolytes, which are not a liquid electrolyte solution but play the role of separators.
A typical commercial battery cell consists of a cathode-anode separator and an electrolyte. Lithium-ion batteries are built with a liquid electrolyte, making them heavier and more susceptible to instability at high temperatures. The solid electrolyte is replaced in the form of glass, ceramics or other materials.
Liquid and gel electrolytes in today's batteries are flammable, and freezing requires costly and powerful heating, cooling, and safety monitoring systems. Solid state glass batteries have three times higher energy density.2 Use of alkali metals as anodes (e.g. Lithium, sodium and potassium) increases the energy density of the cathode and ensures a longer life cycle. Graphite-based anode materials developed for the deposition of lithium-ion charges are bulky, have severe side effects and impair performance over time.
The problem with this type of solid-state battery is that a layer of inactive sodium crystals forms around the cathode, preventing the movement of the sodium ions and killing the battery. Over time, the compounds in the liquid electrolyte of lithium-ion batteries corrode, and internal battery components degrade as the solid materials build up, leading to a deterioration in battery capacity and overall performance. This has a significant impact on the stability and longer service life of such batteries, as well as improved energy density.
In addition to the rapid expansion of the electric vehicle market, regulations and requirements for long-range batteries with better performance, including better safety and higher energy density, have attracted the attention of battery manufacturers, automakers, material suppliers and investors. When these benefits were promised, many OEMs jumped on the solid-state bandwagon and bought stakes in battery manufacturers and technology6. Once realized, these advantages could lead to a wider use of batteries in transportation.
For some applications and markets, complete and secure supply chains, superior performance and potential cost comparisons and reductions are factors driving dozens of players into the solid-state battery business.
Cost and design challenges have so far prevented commercial application of new kinds of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, and automakers have set targets for their use by mid-decade. But the potential for faster charging times and the risk of fire when switching to solid state batteries are unlikely to disrupt the existing infrastructure of the lithium-ion battery supply chain and battery metal prices, analysts say. Solid Power produces its batteries on the company's pilot production line which mirrors the lithium-ion manufacturing process but eliminates certain expensive and timely steps.
Solid state electrolytes are supposed to suppress the penetration of lithium (Li) dendrites and have a high mechanical strength 12,34. Polymers used in liquid electrolyte batteries do not block dendrites and most ceramics used are brittle and do not withstand multiple charge cycles. Solid Power has experimented with various materials, including polymers and oxide sulphides.
A liquid electrolyte has a high ionic conductivity (S cm-1) at room temperature, and the electronic conductivity can be performed in a wide temperature range from a few dozen degrees to 100 degrees Celsius. Solid electrolyte-lithium-ion cells do not have these disadvantages and enable high operating temperatures and thermal stability. The high electrochemical stability and the high potential of the cathode (especially when metallic Li is used as an anode) lead to a high specific energy.
