Researchers achieve major breakthrough that could revolutionize electric cars: 'This study is significant'

Battery experts in Korea needed a micromanager inside their lithium-metal batteries and began working at the nanoscale to develop a solution. 

The result was a thin polymer layer that's a fraction of the width of a human hair. 

Its job is to regulate lithium-ion flow between the battery's copper current collector and electrolyte, a process that has so far been mismanaged, leading to short lifespans for the promising pack type, according to a news release from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

It's all part of the effort to create a cheaper, better-performing alternative to lithium-ion batteries that power drones, electric vehicles, and other technology. 

KAIST's work is geared to increase energy density, or the amount of electricity stored per pound. EV drivers would realize the gains in longer driving distances and lighter rides. Korea is a bit of a hub for the work, with multiple universities focused on the subject. 

"This technology can accelerate the commercialization of anode-free lithium metal batteries in next-generation high-energy battery markets," KAIST Professor Jinwoo Lee said. 

When batteries operate, ions move between the anode and cathode through a substance called electrolyte. Common lithium-ion packs have graphite anodes, but using copper as a current collector in place of traditional electrodes can provide a 50% gain in energy density. They are also cheaper and simpler to make, according to KAIST. 

Surprisingly, the first charge cycle can doom the pack. 

That's when lithium deposits onto the copper, consuming the electrolyte. This leads to a shorter lifespan, the report continued. By adding the thin polymer layer with a special chemical vapor process, the KAIST team found that it can "precisely" direct traffic for lithium ions and "electrolyte decomposition pathways."

The layer also prevents dendrites, which are ruinous metallic branchlike structures that grow inside batteries. These formations trouble other pack types, as well. 

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KAIST reported that its film can be applied at a low cost and is compatible with existing production processes. 

"Beyond developing new materials, this study is significant in that it presents a design principle showing how electrolyte reactions and interfacial stability can be controlled through electrode surface engineering," Lee said. 

For now, lithium-ion batteries are still the dominant type, reliably powering EVs and other tech. That's part of the reason EVs remain a great buy or lease option, and the technology is eligible for incentives in certain states. 

You can save up to $1,500 annually in gas and service costs, eliminate oil changes, and reduce harmful tailpipe exhaust that's clouding your neighborhood's streets. 

Home solar can add to the savings by providing abundant energy via the sun to charge your ride. TCD's Solar Explorer is a curated guide that can help you get started with quotes, installer recommendations, and other information to ensure you get the best product at the right price. 

As for EV range, Edmunds' list includes more than 50 models that can travel 300 miles on a single charge, as well as seven over 400 miles and three over 500 miles — putting them all safely within the average daily commute. 

KAIST and other experts could someday unlock the right component and chemistry mix to make a 1,000-mile benchmark the norm. With its latest report, the team said it has "solved key commercialization challenges" for anode-free batteries.  

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