American researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have tested a new combination of metals as an electrolyte for solid-state batteries electric cars.
Scientists have mixed lithium with sodium, finding a way to reduce the pressure required for this type of battery to work. This could make it possible to create lighter and longer-lasting power sources for gadgets and electric vehicles.
Solid state batteries potentially have a higher capacity and are safer than Li-ion. Since they use a solid electrolyte, this makes them more stable. However, they require high pressure to operate. The metal plates that provide this pressure are often heavier and bulkier than the battery itself.
A team of researchers led by Georgia Institute of Technology researcher Song Gin Yun found that the limitation can be circumvented by adding sodium to lithium. Sodium is not involved in electrochemical processes, but due to its softness, it can improve the performance of lithium. When paired with lithium, it deforms easily at lower pressures, maintaining better contact with the solid electrolyte, which improves overall battery performance.
To understand why sodium-lithium batteries perform better, the researchers turned to the biological concept of morphogenesis, the way organisms develop under the influence of local conditions. Scientists have discovered that sodium behaves like a deformable phase, adapting to structural changes during battery use.
The new research opens the door to the creation of more efficient batteries for smartphones and other gadgets, as well as batteries for electric cars that will allow them to travel up to 800 km on a single charge. Despite the fact that a number of problems still need to be solved before commercialization, the team continues to test new materials.
Their goal is to make solid-state batteries more competitive compared to Li-ion. The ability to reduce the required pressure without sacrificing energy capacity opens up new possibilities for scaling up solid-state batteries.
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The results of the study are published in the journal Science
Source: Interesting Engineering
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