A Battery That Can Power an EV 800 km on Single Charge
The Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology has unveiled a groundbreaking technology that can cut the size of all-solid-state batteries while increasing their lifetime and safety.
The institute disclosed on March 10 the results of a study on an all-solid-state battery that powers a car to run 800 km on a single charge and can be recharged more than 1,000 times. The study results were published in the journal Nature Energy.
The institute carried out the research project in cooperation with Samsung Electronics’ research institute in Japan.
All-solid-state batteries refer to batteries that use a solid electrolyte between anodes and cathodes. Compared with lithium-ion batteries currently in use, they are safer and allow production of large-capacity batteries.
The institute said that it is difficult to forecast when the new technology can be commercialized because it has just shed light on the principle and structure of the new batteries. However, as the electric vehicle market is expected to grow rapidly, the commercialization of the breakthrough technology is expected to gain speed.
In general, lithium metal is used as a cathode material of an all-solid-state battery. However, lithium metal has a problem as it creates dendrites, a tree-like structure that reduces the lifetime and safety of all-solid-state batteries. When lithium moves from an anode to a cathode during charging, it piles up on the surface of the cathode. These dendrites damage the battery's separator, reducing its lifetime and safety.
In order to solve this problem, Samsung Electronics has applied the world's first separation lithium cathode technology which puts a five-micrometer-thick silver-carbon nanoparticle composite layer on the cathode of an all-solid-state battery.
This technology not only increases the safety and lifespan of all-solid-state batteries but also reduces their sizes compared to lithium-ion batteries by increasing their energy density with a thinner cathode.