Highest Energy Density All-Solid-State Batteries Now Possible
April 3, 2019 | Tohoku UniversityEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Scientists from Tohoku University and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization have developed a new complex hydride lithium superionic conductor that could result in all-solid-state batteries with the highest energy density to date.
The researchers say the new material, achieved by designing structures of hydrogen clusters (complex anions), shows markedly high stability against lithium metal, which would make it the ultimate anode material for all-solid-state batteries.
All-solid-state batteries incorporating a lithium metal anode have the potential to address the energy density issues of conventional lithium−ion batteries. But until now, their use in practical cells has been limited by the high lithium ion transfer resistance, caused mainly by the instability of the solid electrolyte against lithium metal.
This new solid electrolyte that exhibit high ionic conductivity and high stability against lithium metal can therefore be a real breakthrough for all-solid-state batteries that use a lithium metal anode.
"We expect that this development will not only inspire future efforts to find lithium superionic conductors based on complex hydrides, but also open up a new trend in the field of solid electrolyte materials that may lead to the development of high-energy-density electrochemical devices," said Sangryun Kim of Shin-ichi Orimo's research group at Tohoku University.
High-energy-density all-solid-state lithium metal battery employing complex hydrides. Sangryun Kim and Shin-ichi Orimo
Background
All-solid-state batteries are promising candidates for resolving the intrinsic drawbacks of current lithium-ion batteries, such as electrolyte leakage, flammability and limited energy density.
Lithium metal is widely believed to be the ultimate anode material for all-solid-state batteries because it has the highest theoretical capacity (3860 mAh g−1) and the lowest potential (-3.04 V vs. standard hydrogen electrode) among known anode materials.
Lithium-ion-conducting solid electrolytes are a key component of all-solid-state batteries because the ionic conductivity and stability of the solid electrolyte determine battery performance.
The problem is that most existing solid electrolytes have chemical/electrochemical instability and/or poor physical contact against lithium metal, inevitably causing unwanted side reactions at the interface. These side reactions result in an increase in interfacial resistance, greatly degrading battery performance during repeated cycling.
As revealed by previous studies, which proposed strategies such as alloying the lithium metal and interface modification, this degradation process is very difficult to address because its origin is the high thermodynamic reactivity of the lithium metal anode with the electrolyte.
The main challenges to using the lithium metal anode are high stability and high lithium ion conductivity of the solid electrolyte.
"Complex hydrides have received a lot of attention in addressing the problems associated with the lithium metal anode because of their outstanding chemical and electrochemical stability against the lithium metal anode," said Kim. "But because of their low ionic conductivity, using complex hydrides with the lithium metal anode have never been attempted in practical batteries. So we were very motivated to see if developing complex hydride that exhibit lithium superionic conductivity at room temperature can enable the use of lithium metal anode. And it worked."
The Tohoku University research team was led by Sangryun Kim from the Institute of Material Research (IMR) and Shin-ichi Orimo from the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR). Members included Dorai Arunkumar, Naoaki Kuwata and Junichi Kawamura from the university's Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (IMRAM), as well as Toshiya Otomo from the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization.
Suggested Items
Foxconn Inaugurates Residential Housing Complex In Industrial Park In India
08/20/2024 | FoxconnFoxconn and the state government of Tamil Nadu in India today inaugurated a new residential complex in Vallam Vadagal Industrial Park. The complex provides a sustainable living community for thousands of employees of the world’s largest manufacturing service provider.
Rocket Lab Successfully Completes Latest Launch with Capella Space
08/12/2024 | BUSINESS WIRERocket Lab USA, Inc., a global leader in launch services and space systems, successfully launched its 52nd Electron rocket and deployed a single satellite to low Earth orbit for Capella Space (Capella).
Ian Walsh Appointed as Sondrel’s Regional VP for America
07/23/2024 | SondrellSondrel, a leading provider of ultra-complex, custom chips for leading global technology brands, has appointed Ian Walsh as its Regional VP for America, with the responsibility of growing Sondrel’s US semiconductor business from its new Silicon Valley offices in Santa Clara, CA.
John Chubb becomes Sondrel’s CEO
07/18/2024 | SondrelSondrel, a leading provider of ultra-complex custom chips for leading global technology brands, has appointed John Chubb as its CEO. He has over 30 years’ experience in a broad range of board level roles including RPS, Grontmij UK and Sweco Denmark along with senior leadership experience in the nuclear, ICT, waste and energy sectors. He is a Chartered Engineer and a former Royal Naval Commander.
BAE Systems Awarded $111 Million in Contracts to Bring Modernized, Secure Communications to the Republic of Korea
07/11/2024 | BUSINESS WIREBAE Systems received multiple contracts totaling $111 million to provide the Second-generation, Anti-jam, Tactical, Ultra-high Frequency Radio for NATO, or SATURN waveform, to the Republic of Korea (ROK).