Researchers around the world are looking for long-lasting, safe and affordable batteries. Scientists from South Korea have now shown that clever material design can significantly improve solid-state batteries – without the need for expensive metals.
A discovery by South Korean researchers could fundamentally change solid-state batteries and take them to a new level of performance. The researchers managed to significantly improve the performance of the batteries through clever material design – without using expensive metals.
The new approach is also intended to make production more efficient and thereby reduce costs. Mass production of high-performance solid-state batteries could therefore be within reach.
Solid-state battery: Better battery life through framework mechanism
At the center of the development is the so-called “framework regulation mechanism”. The researchers use a special interaction of oxygen and sulfur anions to regulate the atomic pathways within the battery.
These atoms expand the lattice structures and literally make the streets for the ions significantly wider. This allows the charge carriers to flow through the material much more quickly and unhindered. By making structural adjustments, the experts were able to increase the mobility of the lithium ions two to four times.
Their measured values show an ionic conductivity of 1.78 millisiemens per centimeter (mS/cm) or 1.01 millisiemens per centimeter at room temperature. These results demonstrate the market readiness of the technology as they guarantee reliable power delivery under real everyday conditions.
Maximum security for your next smartphone
A key advantage of the technology is the increased safety compared to conventional batteries. Since no flammable liquid electrolytes are used, the risk of fire or explosion is reduced to a minimum. This not only means more power, but also promises more safety for electric cars.
Professor Dong-Hwa Seo emphasizes that the design principle optimizes the cost and performance of batteries by using cheap raw materials such as zirconium. According to the researchers, the potential for industrial application is very high as the focus is now on clever design rather than just material choice.
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