Forget solid state, new lithium-metal battery could give your Galaxy days of battery life and charge in minutes
In lab tests the researchers were able to extract a capacity of 133.6 mAhg⁻¹. This translates to a 5,000 mAh smartphone battery that weighs just 37 grams!
A new type of lithium-metal battery, developed at Chonnam National University, South Korea, could give your next smartphone days of battery life and also charge in minutes. The science paper was published in the prestigious journal Advance Materials.
What is a lithium-metal battery?
Differences between a lithium anode and a graphite one. | Image by Highstar
To understand the impact of this new battery breakthrough, we need to take a quick look at lithium-metal batteries. These batteries use similar chemistry to conventional lithium-ion batteries but swap the graphite in the negative electrode with pure lithium.
This leads to much higher energy density, ten times the theoretical maximum for conventional lithium-ion batteries, and much lower weight. These batteries also charge much, much faster.
So, by putting more lithium in a lithium-ion battery, scientists have solved all the issues we have with modern lithium-ion batteries? Not so fast.
There's a huge problem with all-metal, pure lithium electrodes.
Would you buy a 10,000 mAh phone that charges in five minutes?
The big problem with lithium-metal batteries
Dendrite formation in a lithium-metal battery cell. | Image by Highstar
The problem is dendrite formation. These structures are crystallized lithium deposits that grow like threes and eventually short-circuit the battery, puncturing membranes and compromising the inner structure.
With lithium-ion batteries these dendrites are extremely dangerous because short-circuiting the battery results in thermal runaway — basically the battery heats up, catches fire, and releases all its energy in the form of heat. The process is aggressive, fast, and notoriously hard to contain.
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That's the reason we haven't seen many (if any) lithium-metal batteries outside science labs. Until now.
The science behind the new tri-layer metal electrode. | Image by Advanced Materials
This is where the new study comes in. The research team, led by Professor Mincheol Chang from the Department of Polymer Engineering and the School of Polymer Science, has developed a new tri-layer composite solid electrolyte.
Inspired by the natural adhesive proteins mussels use to stick to rocks, our tri-layer composite incorporates chemically active ceramic fillers with a flexible triblock copolymer, boosting ionic conductivity and mechanical strength.
- Professor Mincheol Chang from the Department of Polymer Engineering, Chonnam National University, South Korea
This new type of electrolyte uses a composite structure with three layers - two softer outer layers that offer improved contact with lithium channles, and a hard central ceramic-infused inner backbone.
This tri-layer matrix offers improved conductivity and at the same time suppresses dendrite formation.
10,000 mAh smartphone batteries that charge in minutes?
Huge battery phones that charge in minutes could soon become a reality. | Image by Realme
In lab tests the researchers were able to extract a capacity of 133.6 mAhg⁻¹ with over 80% capacity retention after 1000 charging/discharging cycles.
Our electrolyte is designed for next-generation lithium-metal batteries that can enable longer driving ranges for electric vehicles, safer batteries, flexible and wearable electronics, and long-cycle-life grid-scale energy storage
- Professor Mincheol Chang from the Department of Polymer Engineering, Chonnam National University, South Korea
This translates to a 5000 mAh battery with only 37.5 grams of active material. It's hard to calculate what potential capacities can be achieved, but given a regular smartphone battery weighs between 65 and 80 grams, we could be looking at 10,000 mAh smartphone batteries that charge in mere minutes.
What's even more impressive is that the battery researchers tested in their lab continued to work even when folded in half and partially cut. This opens up a huge field of potential application for this new technology, including wearables such as smart rings, smart glasses, fitness bands, etc.
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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