Current lithium-ion batteries max out with a total energy density around 600 watt-hours per liter (Wh/L) at the cell level. In principal, solid-state batteries can reach 1,200 Wh/L.
U-M engineers created a ceramic layer that stabilizes the surface—keeping dendrites from forming and preventing fires. It allows batteries to harness the benefits of lithium metal—energy density and high-conductivity—without the dangers of fires or degradation over time.
It’s not combustible. There is no liquid, which is what typically fuels battery fires.
Highlights
• Critical current densities as high as 6.0 mA cm−2 were demonstrated at 60 °C.
• 702 mAh cm−2 total Li was plated at 60 °C with 3.0 mAh cm−2 per half cycle.
• Li7La3Zr2O12 is stable against Li during extended cycling.
• Ohmic behavior, EIS, and visual inspection verify short-free electrolyte.
Abstract
Replacing state-of-the-art graphite with metallic Li anodes could dramatically increase the energy density of Li-ion technology. However, efforts to achieve uniform Li plating and stripping in conventional liquid electrolytes have had limited success. An alternative approach is to use a solid electrolyte to stabilize the Li interface during cycling. One of the most promising solid electrolytes is Li7La3Zr2O12, which has high ionic conductivity at room temperature, high shear modulus and chemical and electrochemical stability against Li. Despite these properties, Li filament propagation has been observed through LLZO at current densities below what is practical. By combining recent achievements in reducing interface resistance and optimizing microstructure, we demonstrate Li cycling at current densities competitive with Li-ion. Li|LLZO|Li cells are capable of cycling at up to 0.9 ± 0.7 mA cm−2, 3.8 ± 0.9 mA cm−2, and 6.0 ± 0.7 mA cm-2 at room temperature, 40 and 60 °C, respectively. Extended stability is shown in Li plating/stripping tests that passed 3 mAh cm−2 charge per cycle for a cumulative capacity of 702 mAh cm−2 using a 1 mA cm−2 current density. These results demonstrate that solid-state batteries using metallic Li anodes can approach charge/discharge rates and cycling stability comparable to SOA Li-ion.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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U-M engineers created a ceramic layer that stabilizes the surface—keeping dendrites from forming and preventing fires. It allows batteries to harness the benefits of lithium metal—energy density and high-conductivity—without the dangers of fires or degradation over time. It’s not combustible. There is no liquid, which is what typically fuels battery fires.” Ok, am I the only one here who thinks that this is Good Enough To Make These irrespective of whether or not it achieves twice the energy density?
U-M engineers created a ceramic layer that stabilizes the surface—keeping dendrites from forming and preventing fires. It allows batteries to harness the benefits of lithium metal—energy density and high-conductivity—without the dangers of fires or degradation over time.It’s not combustible. There is no liquid” which is what typically fuels battery fires.””Ok”””” am I the only one here who thinks that this is Good Enough To Make These irrespective of whether or not it achieves twice the energy density?”””””””
They need a perfectly smooth ceramic surface though. One defect and dendrites form. They seem to have hand made such surfaces, but bulk production is a bit of a high hurdle there…
It’s one thing to have a process for basically hand making one off batteries, and another to have a process that can churn them out by the millions or billions. Getting from handmade to mass production can be challenging. “It’s not combustible. There is no liquid, which is what typically fuels battery fires.” This exaggerates: Without dendrite growth, the batteries are far less likely to go up spontaneously, which has been a real problem with high energy density batteries. But we’re still talking about highly active elements in close proximity: Throw one of these on a fire and it WILL burn, I pretty much guarantee that.
There is something they aren’t telling us or they would be commercial already. My guess is they are too expensive to make. Sooo.. it’ll be years b4 we see them ..
They need a perfectly smooth ceramic surface though. One defect and dendrites form. They seem to have hand made such surfaces but bulk production is a bit of a high hurdle there…
It’s one thing to have a process for basically hand making one off batteries and another to have a process that can churn them out by the millions or billions. Getting from handmade to mass production can be challenging.It’s not combustible. There is no liquid”” which is what typically fuels battery fires.””This exaggerates: Without dendrite growth”” the batteries are far less likely to go up spontaneously which has been a real problem with high energy density batteries. But we’re still talking about highly active elements in close proximity: Throw one of these on a fire and it WILL burn”” I pretty much guarantee that.”””””””
There is something they aren’t telling us or they would be commercial already. My guess is they are too expensive to make. Sooo.. it’ll be years b4 we see them ..
Turns out fire is not such a big deal: electrek.co/2016/12/19/tesla-fire-powerpack-test-safety/
Glass fiber is smooth. So are glass blobs. Both can be tiny. Is there a manufacturing process via solvent, where the electrolyte substrate can be formed around glasslike material and then the glass taken out (passive or active solvent) and the anode material placed in it?
There’s a world of difference between a flammable material and a non-flammable one. You can throw a bucket of petrol or a piece of wood on a fire. The difference will be quite dramatic…
Despite these properties, Li filament propagation has been observed through LLZO at current densities below what is practical” Awww. Sucks. the same old problem.
Turns out fire is not such a big deal:electrek.co/2016/12/19/tesla-fire-powerpack-test-safety/
Glass fiber is smooth. So are glass blobs. Both can be tiny.Is there a manufacturing process via solvent where the electrolyte substrate can be formed around glasslike material and then the glass taken out (passive or active solvent) and the anode material placed in it?
There’s a world of difference between a flammable material and a non-flammable one.You can throw a bucket of petrol or a piece of wood on a fire. The difference will be quite dramatic…
Despite these properties” Li filament propagation has been observed through LLZO at current densities below what is practical””Awww. Sucks. the same old problem.”””
Ok, that’s actually reassuring. Flammable, but yes, not a big deal.
So, Vuukle knew enough to make that a link in the notification email?
Ok that’s actually reassuring. Flammable but yes not a big deal.
So Vuukle knew enough to make that a link in the notification email?
Ok, that’s actually reassuring. Flammable, but yes, not a big deal.
So, Vuukle knew enough to make that a link in the notification email?
Turns out fire is not such a big deal:
electrek.co/2016/12/19/tesla-fire-powerpack-test-safety/
Glass fiber is smooth. So are glass blobs. Both can be tiny.
Is there a manufacturing process via solvent, where the electrolyte substrate can be formed around glasslike material and then the glass taken out (passive or active solvent) and the anode material placed in it?
There’s a world of difference between a flammable material and a non-flammable one.
You can throw a bucket of petrol or a piece of wood on a fire. The difference will be quite dramatic…
“Despite these properties, Li filament propagation has been observed through LLZO at current densities below what is practical”
Awww. Sucks. the same old problem.
They need a perfectly smooth ceramic surface though. One defect and dendrites form. They seem to have hand made such surfaces, but bulk production is a bit of a high hurdle there…
It’s one thing to have a process for basically hand making one off batteries, and another to have a process that can churn them out by the millions or billions. Getting from handmade to mass production can be challenging.
“It’s not combustible. There is no liquid, which is what typically fuels battery fires.”
This exaggerates: Without dendrite growth, the batteries are far less likely to go up spontaneously, which has been a real problem with high energy density batteries. But we’re still talking about highly active elements in close proximity: Throw one of these on a fire and it WILL burn, I pretty much guarantee that.
There is something they aren’t telling us or they would be commercial already. My guess is they are too expensive to make. Sooo.. it’ll be years b4 we see them ..
“U-M engineers created a ceramic layer that stabilizes the surface—keeping dendrites from forming and preventing fires. It allows batteries to harness the benefits of lithium metal—energy density and high-conductivity—without the dangers of fires or degradation over time.
It’s not combustible. There is no liquid, which is what typically fuels battery fires.”
Ok, am I the only one here who thinks that this is Good Enough To Make These irrespective of whether or not it achieves twice the energy density?