What is a lithium metal battery?

1.What is a lithium metal battery?

Lithium metal batteries, developed by SolidEnergy originating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have the capability to halve the volume of current lithium batteries and could potentially be used in electric vehicles in the future.

2.Background of lithium metal battery development

Although graphite has been proven to be the best and most reliable material for making cathodes so far, its ion storage capacity is limited. Researchers have been hoping to replace graphite with lithium metal foil, which can accommodate more ions. However, lithium metal foil typically reacts unfavorably with electrolytes, leading to electrolyte overheating and even combustion. Previously, another company from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, A123 Systems, declared bankruptcy due to immature technology, which raised doubts among investors about battery technology. SolidEnergy took over the idle facilities of A123 and then began to independently manufacture batteries in a commercially viable manner.

3.Development process of lithium metal battery

SolidEnergy has developed a lithium metal foil anode, significantly reducing the size of the battery. However, this requires the battery to be heated to 80 degrees to function. To address this issue, the team invented an electrolyte to encapsulate the lithium metal foil. In November 2021, battery manufacturer Massachusetts Genuity (SES) announced the development of the world’s largest lithium metal battery.

4.Application of lithium metal battery products

SolidEnergy plans to launch its own drone battery in November 2016. SolidEnergy also plans to manufacture batteries suitable for smartphones and other electronic devices in 2017, with electric vehicle batteries set to be launched in 2018. Theoretically, with the volume of the battery unchanged, the range of electric vehicles will double when equipped with lithium metal batteries.

5.Overall evaluation of lithium metal batteries

The “lithium metal battery” technology is an engineering breakthrough that will significantly improve battery performance, enhance battery longevity, greatly improve the economic benefits of power storage, promote the upgrade and transformation of consumer electronic products, and have significant implications for human life. On June 23, 2022, news from Stanford University in the United States revealed a new direction for manufacturing higher-quality and safer lithium metal batteries.