Researchers Develop Eco-Friendly Electrolyte for Lithium Metal Batteries
A team at ETH Zurich, led by Professor Maria Lukatskaya, has created a new electrolyte design for lithium metal batteries that considerably reduces the amount of fluorine required. Lithium metal batteries have the potential to store twice as much energy per unit volume as current lithium-ion batteries, which could greatly extend the range of electric vehicles and the battery life of electronic devices.
Traditionally, the electrolytes in these batteries needed significant amounts of fluorinated solvents and salts to be stable, resulting in a larger environmental footprint. The research team's innovative method uses electrostatic attraction to transport fluorine directly to the battery’s protective layer, requiring only 0.1 percent by weight of fluorine. This substantially decreases the environmental impact while maintaining stability and performance.
This new method, described in a paper published in "Energy & Environmental Science", could integrate seamlessly into existing battery production processes. The upcoming phase involves testing scalability on larger cells used in devices like smartphones.
Technique to Reactivate 'Dead' Lithium Enhances Battery Life
Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University have developed a method to recover 'dead' lithium in batteries. This technique could slow battery degradation and boost the capacity of lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries, thus extending the range of electric vehicles.
As batteries cycle, inactive lithium forms islands that reduce storage capacity. The team found that these islands could move towards the electrodes and reconnect, partially reversing capacity loss. By introducing a fast discharging step after charging, they could mobilize and reactivate the isolated lithium.
This discovery, published in "Nature", was validated through additional tests and computer simulations and may lead to more robust battery designs.