| A step on the way to solid-state batteries
A highly promising approach to making smaller, lighter, significantly more powerful, and safer batteries is to use solid-state cells with anodes made of metallic lithium instead of graphite.
A step on the way to solid-state batteries
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Oct 30, 2023
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A lithium ceramic could act as a solid electrolyte in a more powerful and cost-efficient generation of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The challenge is to find a production method that works without sintering at high temperatures. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a research team has now introduced a sinter-free method for the efficient, low-temperature synthesis of these ceramics in a conductive crystalline form.
Two factors dominate the development of batteries for electric vehicles: power, which determines the vehicle range; and cost, which is critical in the competition with internal combustion engines. The US Department of Energy aims to accelerate the transition from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles and has set ambitious goals for reducing production costs and increasing the energy density of batteries by 2030. These targets cannot be achieved with conventional lithium-ion batteries.
A highly promising approach to making smaller, lighter, significantly more powerful, and safer batteries is to use solid-state cells with anodes made of metallic lithium instead of graphite. In contrast to conventional lithium-ion batteries, which have liquid organic electrolytes and use a polymer film to separate the anodic and cathodic compartments, all components of a solid-state battery are solids.
A thin ceramic layer simultaneously functions as a solid electrolyte and separator. It is very effective against both the dangerous short circuits caused by the growth of lithium dendrites and thermal runaway. In addition, they contain no easily inflammable liquids.
A suitable ceramic electrolyte/separator for cells with high energy density is the garnet-type lithium oxide Li7La3Zr2O12-d (LLZO). This material must be sintered together with the cathode at over 1050C to convert the LLZO to the rapid lithium-conducting cubic crystalline phase, sufficiently densify it, and strongly bind it to the electrode. However, temperatures above 600C destabilize sustainable low-cobalt or cobalt-free cathode materials while also driving up production costs and energy consumption. New production methods that are more economical and sustainable are needed.
A team led by Jennifer L. M. Rupp at MIT, Cambridge, USA, and TU Munich, Germany, has now developed such a new synthetic process. Their new process is not based on a ceramic precursor compound, but a liquid one, which is directly densified to form LLZO in a sequential decomposition synthesis.
To optimize the conditions for this synthetic route, Rupp and her team analyzed the multistep phase transformation of LLZO from an amorphous form to the required crystalline form (cLLZO) using a variety of methods (Raman spectroscopy, dynamic differential scanning calorimetry) and produced a time-temperature-transformation diagram.
Based on the insights they gained into the crystallization process, they developed a route by which cLLZO is obtained as a dense, solid film after 10 hours of annealing at the relatively low temperature of 500C-with no sintering. For future battery designs, this method will allow for the integration of the solid LLZO electrolyte with sustainable cathodes that could avoid the use of socioeconomically critical elements such as cobalt.
Research Report:Time-Temperature-Transformation (TTT) Diagram of Battery-Grade Li-Garnet Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Sustainable Synthesis
Artificial Intelligence Summary
for electric vehicles is a new sinter-free method for the efficient low-temperature synthesis of lithium ceramics in a conductive crystalline form. This could lead to more powerful and cost-efficient batteries than are possible with conventional lithium ion batteries. The ceramics are effective against short circuits caused by the growth of lithium dendrites and thermal runaway, and additionally contain no easily inflammable liquids, making them safer. Summary:A research team from Angewandte Chemie has introduced a sinter free method for the efficient low temperature synthesis of lithium ceramics in a conductive crystalline form. This could lead to more powerful and cost-efficient batteries than are possible with conventional lithium ion batteries. These ceramics are effective against short circuits caused by the growth of lithium dendrites and thermal runaway, and additionally contain no easily inflammable liquids, making them safer. Economic Implications:The new sinter free method could reduce the cost of production and allow for more powerful and cost-efficient batteries than are possible with conventional lithium ion batteries. This could potentially reduce the cost of electric vehicles and increase their range, making electric vehicles more accessible and competitive to gasoline-powered vehicles. Environmental Implications:The increased power and range of electric vehicles produced with the new sinter free method could significantly reduce emissions and promote a cleaner environment. Safety Implications: The ceramic electrolyte separator is effective in preventing dangerous short circuits caused by the growth of lithium dendrites and thermal runaway, as well as containing no easily inflammable liquids, making them safer than conventional lithium ion batteries. Geopolitical and Societal Implications: The new sinter free method could potentially reduce the cost and increase the power and range of electric vehicles, making them more competitive with gasoline-powered vehicles. This could lead to greater adoption of electric vehicles and reduced emissions, positively impacting the environment. Additionally, the improved safety of these batteries could lead to greater confidence in electric vehicle technology. Conclusion:The research team from Angewandte Chemie has introduced a sinter free method for the efficient low temperature synthesis of lithium ceramics in a conductive crystalline form. This could lead to more powerful and cost-efficient batteries than are possible with conventional lithium ion batteries. These ceramics are effective against short circuits caused by the growth of lithium dendrites and thermal runaway, and additionally contain no easily inflammable liquids, making them safer. This could potentially reduce the cost of production and allow for a more competitive electric vehicle market, leading to increased adoption, reduced emissions, and improved safety. Investigative Questions:- 1. What are the potential limitations of the new sinter free method?
- 2. How will the increased adoption of electric vehicles affect the market for gasoline-powered vehicles?
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How much of an improvement is the new sinter free method in terms of cost-efficiency and power? Comparison to Star Trek:This new sinter free method is similar to the transporter technology from Star Trek, which is a device used to quickly and efficiently transport people and objects from one point to another without the need for a long journey. Similarly, this method could be used to quickly and efficiently produce powerful and more cost-efficient batteries for electric vehicles.
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