A team of researchers in South Korea has made a major breakthrough with lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). According to TechXplore, researchers affiliated with the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology have developed a technique that extends the life of LMBs and makes them safer.
Lithium-metal batteries differ from the more popular lithium-ion batteries in that LMBs, as the name suggests, use actual lithium metal as the negative electrode as opposed to just using lithium ions.
There's a reason LMBs aren't used as widely as lithium-ion batteries, first and foremost being safety concerns over the possibility of fires and explosions.
Researchers developed a gas-phase reaction that removes the protective layer that forms on many metals when they come in contact with air. This layer, called the native passivation layer, is unstable and can form dendrites during charging and discharging. Dendrites can cause leakage, which can lead to fires and explosions. The passivation layer also impairs the battery's charging and discharging process.
The technique developed by the scientists replaces the native passivation layer with a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer that prevents it from forming dendrites. This greatly reduces the chances of fires or explosions while at the same time allowing ions to flow more freely, enhancing rather than impairing the charging and discharging process.
The SEI layer will also greatly extend battery life and make the charging and discharging of energy smoother. This could have a huge impact on the electric vehicle (EV) industry, potentially doubling the driving range of EVs with LMBs in place of lithium-ion batteries.
That alone could convince some consumers to make their next car an EV instead of a gas-powered vehicle that produces carbon pollution, one of the main causes of the planet overheating. Not only can this pollution contribute to extreme weather events like droughts and flooding, but it can also threaten lives and the global food supply.
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