Editor's Choice


Li-metal battery promises double capacity of Li-ion

5 October 2016 Editor's Choice Electronics Technology

SolidEnergy Systems, a company founded in 2012 by MIT alumnus Qichao Hu, is preparing to commercialise a novel rechargeable lithium metal battery that is said to offer double the energy capacity of the lithium ion batteries that power many of today’s consumer electronics.

“With two times the energy density, we can make a battery half the size, but that still lasts the same amount of time as a lithium ion battery. Or we can make a battery the same size as a lithium ion battery, but now it will last twice as long,” says Hu, who co-invented the battery at MIT and is now CEO of SolidEnergy.

The battery essentially swaps out a common battery anode material, graphite, for very thin, high-energy lithium-metal foil, which can hold more ions and therefore provide more energy capacity. Chemical modifications to the electrolyte also make the typically short-lived and volatile lithium metal batteries rechargeable and safer to use. Moreover, the batteries are made using existing lithium ion manufacturing equipment, which makes them scalable.

In October 2015, SolidEnergy demonstrated the first ever working prototype of a rechargeable lithium metal smartphone battery with double energy density, which earned them more than $12 million from investors. At half the size of the lithium ion battery used in an iPhone 6, it offers 2 A hours, compared with the lithium ion battery’s 1,8 A hours.

SolidEnergy plans to bring the batteries to smartphones and wearables in early 2017, and to electric cars in 2018, but the first application will be drones, coming this November. “Several customers are using drones and balloons to provide free Internet to the developing world, and to survey for disaster relief,” Hu says. “It’s a very exciting and noble application.”

Putting these new batteries in electric vehicles as well could represent "a huge societal impact", Hu says. “Industry standard is that electric vehicles need to go at least 200 miles on a single charge. We can make the battery half the size and half the weight, and it will travel the same distance, or we can make it the same size and same weight, and now it will go 400 miles on a single charge.”

For more information visit www.solidenergysystems.com





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

The power of Matter
Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Matter offers a reliable, secure, seamless way to interconnect devices from different manufacturers, allowing a new level of interoperability to be enjoyed.

Read more...
Transmitting power to remote places
Altron Arrow Editor's Choice Power Electronics / Power Management
The new single-pair power over Ethernet (SPoE) allows for power and data to be transmitted over longer distances of up to 1000 metres.

Read more...
AI is revolutionising electronics manufacturing
Editor's Choice News
Artificial intelligence is transforming the electronics manufacturing industry by providing new ways to optimise production processes, reduce costs, and improve product quality.

Read more...
Designing and manufacturing robust enclosures for extreme environments
Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
The lifecycle of robust edge devices starts with design, and all aspects, including electronic components, packaging, shipping, installation, and servicing needs to be considered at the design stage to ensure that an edge device can operate in the environment it is intended for.

Read more...
Reducing solder paste spatter during reflow
Techmet Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Splash is a problem that solder paste will inevitably encounter during the welding process, and distinguishing between spatter and solder ball is the first step in solving the problem.

Read more...
Products of the year 2023
Editor's Choice News
A summary of products and technologies from 2023 that are currently shaping the electronic engineering industry.

Read more...
The dream of Edge AI
Altron Arrow Editor's Choice AI & ML
AI technology carries a great promise – the idea that machines can make decisions based on the world around them, processing information like a human might. But the promise of AI is currently only being fulfilled by big machines.

Read more...
Save space and improve efficiency with a 4-switch buck-boost controller
Altron Arrow Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
A new generation of 4-switch buck-boost controllers enables power system design with very high efficiency and high power density by using inductor DC resistance (DCR) current-sensing techniques.

Read more...
Matter 1.2 adds new capabilities
NuVision Electronics Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
This update introduces new device types and expands the reach of Matter into new markets, while also bringing other improvements that enhance interoperability and user experience.

Read more...
Personality Profile: Paul Eveleigh
Hiconnex Editor's Choice
With a strong and experienced team behind him, he can put into practice what he has learned during his career and ultimately grow the company towards its strategic objectives.

Read more...