Chinese scientists have developed a solid-state lithium battery that can match the performance of other candidates for next-generation battery technology at less than 10% of the cost. The discovery moves China a step closer to its ambition to be first to deliver the future of rechargeable battery technology, with its potential to revolutionize the electric vehicle (EV) industry. While there have been significant advances in traditional battery packs, their bulk, weight – and potential fire risk – are out of step with the requirements of lightweight, reliable EVs. Replacing the liquid electrolytes of conventional lithium batteries with a solid-state alternative could provide faster charging times, better performance and improved safety. But the large-scale use of solid-state batteries has been hampered by high material and manufacturing costs, sparking a global race for a commercially viable solution.
The researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Anhui have developed a type of solid electrolyte that could hold great promise for commercial applications. According to a paper published on June 30 by the German Chemical Society’s Angewandte Chemie, one of the world’s leading chemistry journals, the team took a new approach to a problem that has plagued researchers for more than a decade. Major industry players, including Japan’s Toyota and South Korea’s Samsung, have invested substantially in the research and development (R&D) of a suitable solid-state electrolyte, with three main contenders – oxide, sulphide and chloride types. Sulphide is generally considered the most promising candidate for the eventual practical application of all-solid-state batteries because of its excellent performance, but its high cost remains prohibitive.
USTC Researcher Ma Cheng explained the root of the problem in terms of simple economics. A commercially viable solid-state battery electrolyte must cost less than USD50 per kilogram to produce, but sulphide electrolytes are generally priced at more than USD195 per kilogram. “Although researchers around the world are striving to reduce the cost through various methods, long-term exploration has shown that it is quite difficult to achieve,” Ma said. To overcome this challenge, Ma and his team set out to develop a new sulphide solid electrolyte, that does not require lithium sulphide as a raw material. Their LPSO uses two low-cost compounds at a cost of just USD14.42 per kilogram – less than 8% of the raw material costs of other sulphide solid electrolytes with no loss in performance.
Companies from Japan, South Korea, Europe and the United States – which have lagged behind China in traditional lithium batteries – are pinning their hopes on next-generation battery technology, including solid-state batteries, to take the lead. Both Toyota and Samsung are reported to be targeting 2027 for the commercial release of their all-solid-state batteries, the South China Morning Post reports.
