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Heading towards a greener electric future, Harvard University's research team has developed a new advanced solid-state battery. This innovative battery stands out for its exceptional capacity to rapidly charge in a mere 10 minutes. This accomplishment marks a significant milestone in the realm of battery technology, contributing to the vision of a future reliant on eco-friendly energy sources.
Powering the Road Ahead: New Solid-State Battery Unveiled
Harvard University recently unveiled a groundbreaking solid-state battery innovation following a comprehensive research conducted by a group of scientists and researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).
The comprehensive research led to the development of a new solid-state lithium battery, that charges in just 10 minutes, and can also be charged and discharged at least 6,000 times; more than any other pouch battery cell.
This research has been published in Nature Materials, and it describes a new way to make solid-state batteries with a lithium metal anode.
Anode materials are substances characterized by their ability to induce movement in the negative electrode, progressing towards the positive electrode (cathode) in the discharge process within the battery's external circuit.
When assessing the production expenses associated with lithium-ion batteries, it becomes evident that approximately 25% of the total cost is attributed to anode materials. Consequently, the incorporation of anode materials in the battery manufacturing process is a crucial and significant undertaking.
Xin Li, Associate Professor of Materials Science at SEAS and senior author of the paper said: “Lithium metal anode batteries are considered the holy grail of batteries because they have ten times the capacity of commercial graphite anodes and could drastically increase the driving distance of electric vehicles.”
“Our research is an important step toward more practical solid-state batteries for industrial and commercial applications.”, He added.
Cutting-Edge Specs & Features
The researchers designed and built a postage stamp-sized pouch cell version of the battery, which is 10 to 20 times larger than the coin cell made in most university labs. This all-new solid-state battery retained 80% of its full capacity after 6,000 cycles, outperforming other pouch cell batteries on the market today.
In recognition of this significant milestone, the Harvard Office of Technology Development licensed the technology to Adden Energy, a spin-off from Harvard cofounded by Associate Professor Xin Li and three Harvard alumni.
In a commitment to ongoing innovation, Adden Energy is currently expanding and advancing this technology to build a solid-state battery with the dimensions of a smartphone.
