Photo by Kumpan Electric on Unsplash

Electricity is in great demand worldwide, particularly from a clean and renewable source. Lithium-ion batteries, which serve as the primary energy storage technology at the moment, are already shaping our society, but what can we expect in the years ahead?

Let’s start with the fundamentals of batteries. A battery is a collection of one or more cells, each of which has a cathode (positive electrode), anode (negative electrode), separator, and electrolyte. The qualities of the battery such as the amount of energy it can store and produce, the amount of power it can supply, and the number of times it can be drained and recharged (also called cycling capacity) are affected by the chemicals and materials used for these.

Battery manufacturers are continually experimenting with new chemistries to develop cheaper, denser, lighter, and more powerful batteries.

A NEW GENERATION OF LITHIUM-ION

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

HOW DOES IT WORK?

In lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, lithium ions flow back and forth between the positive and negative electrodes via the electrolyte, providing energy flow in the process. The positive electrode serves as the initial lithium source, whereas the negative electrode serves as the lithium host. Li-ion batteries are a collection of chemistries that are the product of decades of rigorous selection and optimization of positive and negative active materials. The most typical materials utilized as present positive materials are lithiated metal oxides or phosphates. Negative materials include graphite, graphite/silicon, and lithiated titanium oxides.

Li-ion technology is predicted to hit its energy limit soon, based on current materials and cell designs. Nonetheless, recent discoveries of new families of disruptive active materials may be able to break through current barriers. These novel compounds can store more lithium in both positive and negative electrodes. Furthermore, the scarcity and criticality of raw materials are taken into account with these novel molecules.

WHAT ARE ITS ADVANTAGES?

Li-ion battery technology currently has the highest energy density of all the state-of-the-art storage technologies. The wide range of cell designs and chemistries allows for fine-tuning of features like quick charging and wide operating window (-50°C to 125°C). Furthermore, Li-ion batteries have a low self-discharge rate and a long lifetime and cycling performance, with thousands of charging and discharging cycles on average.

WHEN CAN WE EXPECT IT?

Before the first generation of solid-state batteries, a new generation of enhanced Li-ion batteries is scheduled to be deployed. They’ll be perfect for applications like renewable energy storage and transportation (marine, trains, aircraft, and off-road mobility) where high energy, high power, and safety are required.

LITHIUM-SULFUR

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Lithium ions are kept in active materials in Li-ion batteries, which operate as stable host structures during charge and discharge. There are no host structures in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. The lithium anode is burned during discharging, and sulfur is converted into a variety of chemical compounds; when charging, the process is reversed.

WHAT ARE ITS ADVANTAGES?

The active components of a Li-S battery are extremely light: sulfur in the positive electrode and metallic lithium in the negative electrode. This is why its theoretical energy density is four times higher than that of Li-ion batteries. As a result, it’s a suitable fit for the aerospace and aviation sectors.

This technical approach provides a very high energy density, a long life, and eliminates the major shortcomings of liquid-based Li-S (limited life, rapid self-discharge, etc.). Furthermore, because of its better gravimetric energy density (+30% in Wh/kg), this technology is a complement to solid-state Li-ion.

WHEN CAN WE EXPECT IT?

Major technological obstacles have already been overcome, and the maturity level is rapidly approaching full-scale prototypes.

This technology is likely to hit the market shortly after solid-state Li-ion for applications demanding lengthy battery life.

SOLID-STATE

Source: Autoweek

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Solid-state batteries constitute a technological paradigm leap. Ions migrate from one electrode to another through the liquid electrolyte in contemporary Li-ion batteries (also called ionic conductivity). The liquid electrolyte is replaced by a solid component in all-solid-state batteries, although lithium ions can still travel through it. This notion is not new, but during the last ten years, new families of solid electrolytes with extremely high ionic conductivity, akin to liquid electrolytes, have been developed, allowing this specific technological barrier to be surmounted.

Today, QuantumScape is developing separator material that is a ceramic capable of meeting the key requirements of high conductivity, stability to lithium metal, resistance to dendrite formation, and low interfacial impedance. These are the key requirements to make a lithium-metal anode, which in turn enables high energy density, fast charge, and long life. The ceramic itself is non-combustible, making it safer than conventional polymer separators, which are hydrocarbons and so can burn. The formulation of QuantumScape’s material is proprietary, but it uses earth-abundant materials with a continuous-flow manufacturing process, which we believe will make it cost-effective at commercial volumes.

WHAT ARE ITS ADVANTAGES?

The first major benefit is a significant increase in cell and battery safety: solid electrolytes, unlike liquid electrolytes, are non-flammable when heated. Second, it allows for the use of cutting-edge, high-voltage, high-capacity materials, resulting in denser, lighter batteries with longer shelf lives due to decreased self-discharge. Furthermore, it will provide additional benefits at the system level, such as simpler mechanics, as well as thermal and safety control.

Source: QuantumScape

The batteries may be excellent for use in electric cars due to their high power-to-weight ratio.

WHEN CAN WE EXPECT IT?

As technology advances, a variety of all-solid-state batteries are anticipated to hit the market. Solid-state batteries with graphite-based anodes will be the first, delivering increased energy performance and safety. Lighter solid-state battery solutions based on a metallic lithium anode should be commercially accessible shortly.

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