Advancement in the realm of lithium-metal solid-state battery innovation

Imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub, and its international partners have made a significant breakthrough in battery technology. The team has developed a lithium-metal solid-state battery that promises to revolutionise the energy storage landscape.

The new battery boasts several impressive improvements. For starters, it offers enhanced safety due to its more stable solid-state electrolyte, which is less likely to ignite, providing a safer option for vehicles and other applications. The battery's design has also been optimised to shorten its charge time to a mere three hours and extend its lifespan to an impressive 100 cycles.

The battery's compact and efficient cell structure allows for more energy storage in less space. It uses a thin lithium metal anode and a 50 μm solid electrolyte separator. The battery's design includes a "liquid-to-solid" electrolyte made from a polymerised ionic liquid (PIL) nanocomposite.

Imec and its partners have successfully tackled technical challenges in making the solid electrolyte strong enough for practical use by introducing advanced coatings and fine-tuning materials. The battery uses cobalt-lean NMC cathodes to lower its environmental impact.

The consortium behind this breakthrough includes Fraunhofer (Germany), Delft University of Technology (Netherlands), Fiat's research centre (Italy), and VDL Groep (the same country as the previous battery's production method). The development of this battery could contribute significantly to the world's push for lower carbon emissions and more sustainable energy solutions.

The production method for this battery is compatible with existing lithium-ion battery factories, making it easier to scale up production and make the lithium-metal solid-state battery available for industrial use. The combined expertise of these institutions and industry players will be crucial in bringing this technology to market and meeting the needs of the growing EV industry.

The energy density of this solid-state battery is significantly higher than current technologies. The cost of production for this solid-state battery is projected to be less than €150 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). With further testing and development, this technology could soon become a standard in the automotive industry, driving the next wave of innovation in clean energy.

The successful development of this battery could play a vital role in shaping the future of transportation and energy storage. The consortium developing the lithium-metal solid-state battery includes institutions from Germany and likely Denmark, notably involving the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) as part of a Danish-German research collaboration. However, specific other participating institutions and their countries are not detailed in the available search results.

Perhaps most importantly, the battery design reduces risks associated with overheating and fires common in traditional lithium-ion batteries. The prototype solid-state battery developed by imec and partners achieves an energy density of 1070 Wh/L, a significant leap forward in battery technology. With the potential to become a game-changer in the realm of energy storage, this development could pave the way for a more sustainable and safer future.