SOLID STATE BATTERY-WORKING PRINCIPLE, USES, APPLICATIONS, CHALLENGES, ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

SOLID STATE BATTERY-WORKING PRINCIPLE, USES, APPLICATIONS, CHALLENGES, ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES


Working Principle of SSBs

Solid-state batteries are quite similar to that of lithium-ion batteries. The only difference is that a solid-state battery consists of a solid electrolyte in place of a liquid electrolyte. Materials such as glass, ceramic, etc., can be used for this purpose.

The working principle of an SSB is the same as that of a conventional LIB,as shown in Figure 1.

(a) Conventional Lithium-ion battery FIG 1 (b) Solid state battery


Working Principle of SSBs

During discharge, the cathode is reduced and the anode is oxidized, accompanied by the movement of lithium ions from the anode to the cathode through the solid electrolyte, and the reverse process occurs during charge. Almost all cathode and anode active materials used in Lithium-ion batteries can be applied to Solid state batteries with only a few exceptions because of the intrinsic instability between electrodes and solid electrolytes. For example, LiFePO4 , a well-known cathode for conventional LIBs, has not been successfully used in thiophosphate-based SSBs because of the instability between LiFePO4 and thiophosphate-based solid electrolytes. The major difference between an SSB and a conventional LIB is the electrolyte material, and this difference also leads to many unique attributes of SSBs, which will be introduced later.

Construction of Solid-State Battery

A solid-state battery makes use of solid electrodes as well as solid electrolytes. The solid electrolytes include oxides, sulfides, phosphates, polyethers, polyesters, nitrile-based, polysiloxane, polyurethane, etc. The performance of the battery depends on the type of electrolyte used. Ceramics are suitable for rigid battery systems due to their high elastic moduli, while low elastic moduli of polymers make them fit for flexible devices.

Working of Solid-State Battery

The working of a solid-state battery is quite similar to that of a lithium-ion battery. The anode and cathode of the battery are made up of electrically conductive materials. An electrolyte is present between the two electrodes that contain the charged ion particles. The lithium ions move through the electrolyte between the electrodes. This movement of charged particles in a particular direction produces current. When the ions move from the cathode to the anode, i.e., from the positive electrode to the negative electrode, it is said to be charging. Similarly, the movement of ions in the reverse direction, i.e., from the anode to the cathode discharges the battery and supplies the current to the load.

What are the types of solid-state batteries?

Solid-state batteries are broadly classified into “bulk” and “thin-film” types depending on the manufacturing method, with the amount of energy they can store differing.

SSBs can be divided into three types according to their geometry.

  1. THIN FILM BATTERY : The first one is thin-film SSBs which are usually made by depositing dense layers of cathode, solid electrolyte, and anode materials in sequence (Figure 2a). The total thickness of a thin-film battery is usually less than 15 μm. Such a thickness enables to use solid electrolytes with a relatively low ionic conductivity, and the most successful electrolyte for thin-film batteries is lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) which was developed by Dudney et al. from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Thin-film batteries demonstrate excellent cycling stability of more than thousands of cycles. Because of transport limitations in the dense and pure electrodes, the thickness of the electrode cannot be high and therefore the areal capacity or the resulting energy of thin-film batteries is also limited.These are batteries manufactured by stacking a thin-film electrolyte on the electrodes in a vacuum state. The amount of energy stored is small and they cannot produce a large capacity. However, there are advantages such as a long cycle life and ease of manufacturing. Because they are small, they are suitable for use in small devices such as sensors.
  2. 3D Battery : In order to enhance the energy of the cell, three-dimensional SSBs were designed (Figure 2b).However, the fabrication of three-dimensional SSBs with interdigitated electrode structure has proven difficult.
  3. ALL Solid State Battery : Powders (substances consisting of powder, granular material, etc.) are used as the materials of the electrodes and electrolyte. It is possible to make large-capacity batteries that can store a lot of energy. It is anticipated that they will mainly be used for large things such as electric vehicles.The third type is bulk-type SSBs (Figure 2c) in which the electrodes are mixed with electronically non conductive and ionically conductive electrolytes, an electrode structure similar to that in the liquid electrolyte LIBs. Thanks to the development of superionic solid electrolytes with ionic conductivity close to or even higher than liquid electrolytes, electrodes with a thickness of a few hundreds of microns have been used in the bulk-type SSBs, leading to a high energy of the cell.

BULK SOLID STATE BATTERY(2c) THIN-FILM BATTERY (2a) 3D BATTERY (2b)

What are solid-state batteries?

As the name implies, a solid-state battery is a battery in which all the components that make up the battery are solid. Secondary batteries (batteries that can be recharged and used repeatedly) like lithium-ion batteries are basically composed of two electrodes (a cathode and an anode) made of metal and an electrolyte that fills the space between them. Conventional secondary batteries use a liquid as the electrolyte, but solid-state batteries use a solid as the electrolyte.

It is expected that the solid electrolyte will enable larger-capacity and higher-output batteries than lithium-ion batteries. Moreover, making the electrolyte solid has advantages in terms of safety over lithium-ion batteries. They are therefore attracting attention for installation in electric vehicles and other products.

In this way, it is said that solid-state batteries would have various benefits if they could be put into practical use. Currently, different companies are competing in product development and the realization of mass production for large-volume supply.

How do solid-state batteries work?

Solid-state batteries have almost the same mechanism as lithium-ion batteries for extracting electricity from the batteries. Metal is used as the material for the electrodes, and electrical flow is generated by ions moving through the electrolyte between the cathode and anode. The big difference is that the electrolyte is solid. Also, when the electrolyte is a liquid, there is a separator that separates the cathode from the anode, preventing the liquid on the cathode side from mixing suddenly with the liquid on the anode side. But in the case of a solid electrolyte, the separator is unnecessary.

The key to research into solid-state batteries is the discovery and/or development of solid-state materials. In the past, no solid-state material had been discovered that could allow ions to move around inside and create a sufficient flow of electricity to the electrodes. But the discovery of such materials has given momentum to the development of solid-state batteries. By changing from a liquid to solid electrolyte, the ions will move well in batteries, making it possible to create batteries with larger capacity and higher output than lithium-ion batteries.

Reasons to develop a solid-state battery

Then, why do we need a solid-state battery? It is to increase capacity of EV batteries.??? ?

Market research companies expect that EVs will replace ICEVs(internal combustion engine vehicles), and become the mainstream in the auto industry. And to become the unarguable leader in the industry, EV should have the similar level of mileage as the current ICEV, and it is important to increase the battery capacity of an EV battery to do so.??? ?

There are two ways to increase capacity. First is increasing the number of batteries. But in this case, the battery price goes up and batteries take up so much space in the vehicle.???

A solid-state battery has higher energy density than a Li-ion battery that uses liquid electrolyte solution. It doesn’t have a risk of explosion or fire, so there is no need to have components for safety, thus saving more space. Then we have more space to put more active materials which increase battery capacity in the battery.?

A solid-state battery can increase energy density per unit area since only a small number of batteries are needed. For that reason, a solid-state battery is perfect to make an EV battery system of module and pack, which needs high capacity.?

How are they different from lithium-ion batteries?

BENEFITS OF SOLID STATE BATTERIES

Solid-state batteries, which are expected to be the next generation of secondary batteries, are considered to have the following benefits.

Can withstand low to high temperatures

Since the electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries are made of flammable organic solvents (liquids that dissolve substances that do not dissolve in water), there is concern about their use in high-temperature environments. On the other hand, since the electrolytes in solid-state batteries are not made of flammable materials, they can be used at higher temperatures.

Further, in the case of liquids, the movement of ions slows at low temperatures, causing battery performance to drop, and the voltage may decrease. In the case of solids, the internal resistance does not increase so much and battery performance does not drop much because the solid does not freeze like a liquid even at low temperatures.

Fast charging is possible

The benefit of being resistant to high heat is also advantageous for fast charging. The faster batteries charge, the more they heat up. Because of this, it is believed that it will be possible to charge high-temperature-resistant solid-state batteries even faster than current lithium-ion batteries.

Long lifespan

The lifespan of a battery depends on the properties of the electrolyte. Since lithium-ion batteries do not use a battery reaction like other secondary batteries, the electrode deteriorates little and lasts a long time, but when used for a long time, electrolyte deterioration can be seen. In that respect, since the electrolytes in solid-state batteries deteriorate less than liquids, it will be possible to extend battery lifespan even further.

High degree of freedom in shape

Liquid electrolytes have structural restrictions to prevent liquid leakage. But in the case of solid-state batteries, there is no such limitation. So, they can be used in various shapes because it is easy to make them smaller and thinner, and because they can be used while overlapped or bending.

APPLICATION & USES OF SOLID STATE BATTERIES

One of the expected applications for solid-state batteries is electric vehicles. Currently, electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries. But if they used solid-state batteries, the risk of ignition due to accidents is expected to decrease since they do not contain flammable organic solvents. In addition, whereas today’s electric vehicles take longer to charge than refueling with gasoline, with solid-state batteries it will be possible to charge them more quickly.

In addition, one of the reasons why the practical application of solid-state batteries is being actively pursued is that they can compensate for lithium-ion batteries’ weak point of being vulnerable to high temperatures. Since they could be soldered directly to an electronic substrate by taking advantage of their heat-resistant characteristic, it is also anticipated that their uses will include electronic device backup power supplies and IoT sensors. If used in PCs or smartphones, they should enable powerful operation for a longer time.

Furthermore, since solid-state batteries can achieve a larger capacity and higher output than lithium-ion batteries, they can be expected to be used in airplanes and ships. And since they are resistant to temperature changes across the spectrum from high to low temperature, it can be expected that their applications will expand to include devices used in outer space.

1. Solid-state batteries are highly used in medical devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators, etc.

2. A number of gardening tools and equipment such as a lawnmower, etc., make use of solid-state batteries.

3. Automobile industry employs solid-state batteries at a large scale to power various electric vehicles.

4. Solid-state batteries have a variety of applications in the manufacturing and production industries.

5. Aerospace and satellites generally use solid-state batteries to power various gadgets and devices because they are light in weight and are non-flammable.

How safe are solid-state batteries?

Lithium-ion batteries use easily vaporized organic solvents as electrolytes, so there are concerns about their use in high-temperature environments. Also, in order to use liquid electrolytes, it was necessary to devise ways to keep the cathode and anode from coming into direct contact (shorting) on impact, such as by using separators between them.

Solid-state batteries are hard to short-circuit because the electrodes are separated by a solid, and they can be used at higher temperatures because they use highly heat-resistant electrolytes. However, since all batteries are “canned energy,” solid-state batteries are not risk-free. Care must be taken when handling them, as the electrodes may short-circuit for some reason.

What are the challenges to the practical application of solid-state batteries?

Research and development into higher-performance solid electrolyte materials is underway with the aim of putting solid-state batteries into practical application in the early 2020s. The following challenges must also be solved to achieve this.

Challenge of a solid electrolyte

In order for batteries to perform well, the electrodes and electrolyte must always be in close contact. Liquid electrolytes always change shape, so they can maintain close contact even if the electrode changes a little. With solid-on-solid, on the other hand, there is the challenge that it is difficult to always maintain close contact.

Challenge of electrode materials

In order for solid-state batteries to significantly increase energy density over existing lithium-ion batteries, it is necessary to develop electrodes that can store more power at the same weight and size.

Challenge of the manufacturing process

Since the electrolyte will be changed from liquid to solid, a manufacturing process different from lithium-ion batteries is needed. For example, solid-state batteries can be based on oxides, sulfides, nitrides, etc., depending on the material. The solid electrolytes used in solid-state batteries based on sulfides, which is one of the mainstream types, are so sensitive to moisture that they degenerate even when exposed to moisture in the air. Therefore, the production of solid-state batteries, which require strict moisture control, will need dedicated facilities such as dry rooms.

As mentioned above, various companies are currently making efforts to commercialize solid-state batteries, which are expected to further enhance the performance of lithium-ion batteries. On the other hand, lithium-ion batteries are actively used in a wide range of fields. R & D RESEARCH explores how lithium-ion batteries will play a role in realizing a sustainable society.

ADVANTAGES OF SOLID STATE BATTERIES

High Safety

Unlike their liquid or polymer counterparts which have caused many fire accidents, inorganic solid electrolytes are relatively difficult to ignite even if they are heated or highly oxidized. A detailed study to compare the heat release of batteries with different electrolytes shows that SSBs possess a much higher degree of safety than the conventional liquid-electrolyte batteries, even though more quantitative studies are still needed to confirm the intrinsic safety of SSBs.

In addition, solid electrolytes have the potential to prevent dendrite formation which is a serious safety concern in liquid-electrolyte Li metal batteries . Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of the solid materials is typically higher than that of the liquids, and therefore the utilization of solid electrolytes may help eliminate the temperature hotspots inside the batteries. The non-uniform

temperature distribution within the battery has been reported to play an important role in initiating direct Li plating in graphite anodes . Inorganic solid electrolytes can be more thermally stable at higher temperatures than liquid electrolytes, as a result, SSBs can work more reliably than LIBs under extreme high temperature conditions. It should also be noted that although many solid electrolytes appear to show better thermal stability than liquid electrolytes, other safety concerns, such as the release of toxic H2S gas because of exposure of thiophosphate-based solid electrolytes to ambient air,should also be considered.

High Energy Density

One of the major motivations for the research and development of SSBs is the potential to further increase the energy density. While simply replacing liquid electrolyte by solid electrolyte to make an SSB does not help improve the energy density of the battery because of the higher density of solid electrolyte, dramatic improvements in the energy density, both volumetrically and gravimetrically, can be achieved by applying Li metal as the anode.

Several solid electrolytes such as Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) and Li1+xAlxTi2?x (PO4 )3 (LATP,0.3≤x≤0.5) have demonstrated excellent anodic stability, enabling the utilization of cathodes with high potentials. In addition to the energy density gain of individual cells, the utilization of solid electrolytes also enables bipolar stack in which multiple battery layers are stacked inside one single package and therefore can significantly reduce the dead space and inactive parts compared with the series connection of conventional LIBs. In this regard, SSBs demonstrate unique advantages in increasing the energy density, especially the volumetric energy density, at the pack level.

High Power Density

The replacement of liquid electrolytes with solid ones will cause dramatic changes in the nature of the interfaces between electrodes and electrolytes. While many difficulties in both fundamental understanding and optimization of the interfaces between solid electrolytes and solid electrodes remain to be addressed, it has been demonstrated that SSBs may provide a higher power density than conventional liquid-electrolyte LIBs . The excellent kinetic performance of SSBs is mainly because of the following reasons. First, the ionic conductivity of many solid electrolytes has been comparable to or higher than that of liquid electrolytes, especially at low temperatures .

Considering that the lithium-ion transference number of solid electrolytes is very close to one, which is much higher than that of conventional liquid electrolytes, lithium transport in many solid electrolytes is indeed faster than that in liquid electrolytes. The depletion of lithium concentration in the graphite anode of a liquid-electrolyte battery was considered as one of the major challenges

for developing fast-charging liquid-electrolyte batteries(20). The near unity lithium-ion transference number also eliminates the concentration polarization in the electrolyte of the cell, and the higher lithium concentration (36 mol/L in solid electrolytes vs. 3 mol/L in liquid electrolytes)also provides sufficient lithium ions for charge transfer reaction at fast rates. In addition, the utilization also eliminates the de-solvation process that has been demonstrated resistive in

some conventional liquid-electrolyte batteries. As a result, very fast charge transfer kinetics has been observed at the Li/solid electrolyte interfaces , and the areal specific resistance between Li and Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) solid electrolyte can be negligibly small (0.1 ohm/cm).

Compared with SSBs using the same battery configuration and resistance, Kato et al. showed that the room temperature capacity of conventional liquid-electrolyte batteries decreased more rapidly at a high current density . This result indicates the potential of fast-charging of SSBs over conventional liquid-electrolyte LIBs, which is attributed to the nature of solid electrolytes. Besides, the extremely high ionic conductivities of Li10GeP2S12 (LGPS)-type solid electrolytes also enabled SSBs to operate at ?30 °C with a much better performance than conventional liquid-electrolyte LIBs. Therefore, one potential advantage of SSBs is the ability to work under extreme low temperature conditions.

1. Solid-state batteries are capable of delivering 2.5 times more energy density as compared to lithium-ion batteries.

2. Solid-state batteries are comparatively more durable and safe.

3. The solid electrolyte used in solid-state batteries is non-flammable, hence they are less prone to catch fire.

4. Solid-state batteries are comparatively less expensive and compact in nature.

5. The greater electrochemical stability of solid-state batteries make them more reliable.

6. Solid-state batteries are comparatively lighter in weight.

7. The recharge rate of solid-state batteries is 4-6 times more than regular batteries.

8. A solid-state battery does not contain any volatile element.

Disadvantages of Solid-State Battery

1. The mass production and manufacturing of solid-state batteries are quite complex.

2. Research regarding solid-state batteries is still in progress and the perfect material for the electrolyte with an ideal ionic conductivity is yet to be found.

10 things about SSBs that you are often not told

THIS TOPIC IS TAKEN FROM BATTERY DESIGN

Author Dr. Simon Madgwick of Nuvvon Inc.

As an overview, this post cannot cover every possibility or explain in depth. Nonetheless these 10 topics give a reasonable overview of solid-state batteries in terms of what is less transparent in the publicity and hype of solid state. To be clear, we need solid state batteries, but we need to put claims in context and be wary of missing information.

1. Safety – surely the most important factor

Let’s start at the beginning with the original and, one would hope, still the primary reason for solid state. This is safety, which is directly linked to the temperature limitations of liquid electrolyte. We all know about thermal runaway in current Li-ion batteries: fires which are rare but unstoppable. A chain reaction starts when a cell is unable to discharge heat at the rate it is being generated. Current Li-ion batteries are kept at a safe temperature with a cooling system and BMS so that they operate in a sweet spot, which is around 25-45°C.

It generally requires a fault, defect, misuse or accident to overheat a cell. Unfortunately, with billions of cells in millions of EVs and storage systems, such problems are statistically inevitable. So, let’s not pretend we can design out the risk, we must remove the source. Liquids are further discussed below (#3) as is lithium compatibility (#5) and new risks such hydrogen sulfide (#8).

Summary: safety remains the priority, so we need to keep talking about it.

2. Pressure – a commonly hidden problem

It seems to be assumed that solid electrolytes need a pressure system. Renowned scientists say that solid state is solved in the lab and now it’s over to the engineers to devise a pressure system. Indeed, it has been shown that lithium metal deposition can be enhanced with pressure. But while some pressure can be easily integrated (e.g. a vacuum on the sealed pouch), the high pressures required for many solid-state batteries remain unrealistic for practical applications. High pressure is required to overcome interfacial resistance, particularly for ceramics and sulfides. Some solid polymers do not need pressure, but perhaps surprisingly, hybrid and semi-solid cells need high pressure. If high pressure is required, the problem is compounded by volume changes as the cell charges and discharges and as it heats and cools. This complicated problem lacks transparency because a pressure system adds significant expense and mass. It is inappropriate to cite improved energy densities without acknowledging the additional pressure system. Some kudos to QuantumScape who recently presented energy density figures stating “without packaging”. A little cryptic perhaps but suggesting more is required for the cell to operate.

To recap: operating pressure is often omitted from performance claims yet has a significant impact on energy density, cost and scalability.

3. Liquids – does solid have to mean solid?

This topic is critical because liquids cause problems for Safety and Pressure (#1 & #2 above) and Temperature Range (#4 below). Many products are called solid state because the separator is solid electrolyte. The inactive porous polymer separator is replaced with an active solid electrolyte that is both mechanically strong and ionically conductive. It keeps the electrodes apart, resists dendrites (see topic #5) and transports lithium ions. But what about the catholyte? The cathode also needs electrolyte (except for very thin film cathodes) and the anode needs electrolyte if not using lithium metal. If this electrolyte is liquid or gel then we need to assess safety risk and performance issues. The risk of liquid electrolyte is explained in topic #1. Topic # 4 explains how liquids limit temperature range and reduce cycle life. But also, liquids limit scalability if high pressure is required. Pouch cells can easily integrate 1 atm pressure by sealing under vacuum; but adding high pressure uniformly across a cell is problematic if there is liquid that can move around. This is a barrier to scale which cannot be easily solved with solid electrolytes. During processing ceramics require sintering and sulfides require massive pressure (500 bar), which can work for a separator but not for a catholyte. In contrast, solid polymers can work as both separator and catholyte but only if the ionic conductivity is comparable to traditional liquid electrolytes.

Summary: whether we call it solid, semi-solid or hybrid, using any liquid electrolyte risks thermal runaway, reduces temperature range, and inhibits scalability with high pressure.

4. Temperature range – Straightforward enough?

A solid-state battery should offer higher temperature capability compared to liquid electrolyte cells, meaning without a cooling system. Liquid electrolytes become unstable above 40°C and also accelerate cathode degradation. If semi-solid or hybrid cells require a cooling system this impacts energy density and cost. A simple check is whether test data extends to the 40 to 80°C range. 80°C is a useful benchmark because it is above surface temperatures on the hottest of days. This means EVs can park in the sunshine without cooling systems that drain the batteries! Double check the data, sometimes high temperature claims for the separator electrolyte do not include the whole cell. Some solid polymer electrolytes have the opposite problem, having to be heated before they are ionically conductive, typically to 50-80°C. This also adds cost, reduces system energy density and is impractical for general use.

In summary: SSB cells should work across a wide temperature range without external systems, otherwise the systems should be acknowledged in the energy density and cost claims.

5. Lithium compatibility and dendrites

To improve energy density the electrolyte needs to be stable with lithium metal and high energy cathodes or there will be little energy density improvement. Various SSB players have targeted lithium metal then pivoted to graphite or silicon. This suggests incompatibility with lithium metal, although there is one player stating that lithium is unsafe, which could also be read as meaning incompatible with their solid electrolyte. Another unresolvable debate is who has the best solution to dendrites. Ceramics and Sulfides are hard but have grain boundaries and can be brittle. Polymers are accused of being too soft but some players disagree. Cycle life and millions of tests will tell but, as above, faults are statistically inevitable so the debate shifts back to removing the possibility of thermal runaway.

Summary: a highly stable and mechanically strong solid electrolyte is required to increase energy density.

6. Layer thicknesses – generally not mentioned

High energy density requires a thin separators equivalent to current Li-ion cells, anodes that are thinner than current Li-ion, and cathodes that are at least as thick as current Li-ion. To use real numbers: separator in the range 20-30μm, thin lithium less than 40μm, and cathode at least 80μm. Why? If not, simple math will show that cells are not achieving higher energy densities. There are novel 3D players that would disagree, but they also need to respond to the scalability and processability points (see topic #10). The reasons layer thicknesses are not mentioned include thin ceramic separators are very brittle, lithium cycle life is difficult to extend as the thickness is reduced, and penetrating thick cathodes with solid electrolyte is difficult and often requires liquids.

In summary: higher density requires thinner anodes and thin separators that work with thick cathodes.

7. Cycle life and C-rates – cell performance

For many developers and OEMs long life and fast charge is the first topic, and therefore gets a lot of air time simply because it promises longer range and shorter stops for EVs. It is what everyone wants to hear so it becomes the publicity goal. Long cycle life and high C-rate can be achieved, but generally at the expense of each other, which is not so often explained. As above, the layer thicknesses or pressure requirements may not be stated. Most readers are becoming to understand that long cycle life is usually achieved at low C-rate, and high C-rate is usually at the expense of cycle life. Sometimes the small print qualifies long life with high C-rate at 1-in-10 or 1-in-30 cycles, with the other cycles at low C-rate. Solid state should, eventually, delivery genuinely long life with fast charge. One reason is being able to perform stably at higher temperatures so therefore accommodating faster power transfer, but this requires a highly stable solid electrolyte throughout the cell. Another reason is that charging is limited by the rate of intercalation into hosted anodes, which is eliminated when using lithium metal.

Summary: impressive cycle life and C-rates are keenly publicised but is often opaque and further distracts from the non-achievement of real-world fundamentals.

8. Introduced risk

The first objective was improved safety, but some ‘solutions’ reduce one risk then add another. Remembering that faults and accidents are inevitable, we need to check whether the fault mode is “fail safe”. Adding huge pressure is contained energy that can release unexpectedly. Using some liquid electrolyte retains thermal runaway risk. At least one player states that the use of lithium metal us dangerous however the use of ultra-thin lithium mitigates this. Using sulfides brings a new risk of hydrogen sulfide due to moisture sensitivity.

Summary: the key to reducing risk is to have a highly stable solid electrolyte throughout a cell that operates across a wide temperature range.

9. Packaging and show batteries

Packaging was touched upon regarding pressure (topic #2) and needs further analysis, being one of the least transparent issues. The great pictures of huge show batteries have one thing in common – they never show the real-world operating system required for pressure, cooling, heating or containing risks like hydrogen sulfide. Alternatively, there are animations showing some clear advantage but not the whole story. Or there are some amazingly life like pictures that do not mention they are renderings.

Things about Solid State Packaging that you are often not told

Packaging is critical because it links to many of the other 9 points in the things you need to know about SSBs. The pressure system remains the biggest unknown. It is rarely talked about, and it has not been proven at scale. High pressures are required by most SSBs to overcome interfacial resistance. This problem is exasperated by the need to accommodate volume changes and further complicated for semi-solid / hybrid cells because liquid can disperse unevenly under pressure.

10. Scalable processes – micro wearables and cost

Every start-up is obliged to say “our technology is easily scalable”. Without numbers and timelines it is a somewhat empty statement. Some players have developed SSB tech for the micro wearables market, then imply scalability for the EV and Renewables markets. Most micro SSBs are ceramic but that will not easily scale. Novel architecture and processes such as 3D or printing should not be mentioned in the same context as giga-scale Li-ion which has taken decades to develop. SSBs need to reduce cost to make EVs and renewables economical. Using new processes will not reduce cost without a decade of development. Adding external systems does not reduce cost. Ceramics require sintering. Sulfides require massive pressure in production. Hybrids require “special protective coatings” to reduce risk. All these add cost. The goal is to reduce cost. Processing should be a standard R2R process. It is widely accepted that solid polymer electrolytes are the simplest to produce and most easily retrofitted to existing processes and cell architecture.

Summary: a standard R2R process combined with less product material (no inactive separator, no anode host, no liquid) provides the drivers to reduce cost.

Summary

Solid State technology has made great strides and will eventually provide improved safety and higher performance at lower cost. But SSB players need to openly address the issues discussed above to bring a viable product to the real world. Reduced risk, no external pressure system, higher energy density and existing R2R production to produce commercial scale cells. Whilst there remains much to do and, of course, I am biased, I think Nuvvon offers the only SSB so far that can do all of this.

Nuvvon:

  1. Completely solid thereby reducing thermal runaway risk
  2. Operates without an external pressure system
  3. Ionically conductive solid polymer as separator electrolyte and catholyte – no liquids or gels nanoparticles
  4. Wide temperature range (currently -10 to +80 deg-C)
  5. Compatible with thin lithium and high mechanical strength to repel dendrites
  6. Layer thicknesses: thin lithium anode (currently 20um), thin separator (20-30um), thick cathode (80-150um)
  7. Cycle life and C-rate is work in progress for thin lithium in the low hundreds at C/4
  8. No new risks (no pressure, no liquids, no toxic components)
  9. The naked cell operates without external systems (pressure, heating, cooling)
  10. Pouch cells using existing battery architecture and built on a standard Li-ion process

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is A Solid-State Battery?

A solid-state battery is a type of battery that uses solid-state electrolytes instead of liquid or gel electrolytes found in traditional lithium-ion batteries.

How Do Solid-State Batteries Work?

Solid-state batteries work by utilizing solid electrolytes to facilitate the movement of ions between the cathode and anode, enabling the storage and release of energy.

What Is The Working Principle Of Solid-State Batteries?

The working principle of solid-state batteries involves the movement of ions through a solid electrolyte, which allows for the flow of electrons and the storage of energy.

What Are The Advantages Of Solid-State Batteries?

Solid-state batteries offer several advantages, including higher energy density, improved safety, longer lifespan, and faster charging times compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Do Solid-State Batteries Exist?

Yes, solid-state batteries do exist. However, they are still in the development stage and have not yet been widely commercialized.

How Do They Work?

Solid-state batteries work by utilizing solid electrolytes to enable the movement of ions, which allows for the storage and release of energy.

What Materials Do Solid-State Batteries Use?

Solid-state batteries typically use materials such as solid electrolytes, lithium metal anodes, and various cathode materials to facilitate energy storage and release.

How Long Do Solid-State Batteries Last?

The lifespan of solid-state batteries can vary depending on various factors, but they are generally expected to have a longer lifespan compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

What Makes A Solid-State Battery Better?

Solid-state batteries offer several advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries, including higher energy density, improved safety, and faster charging times.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION AND ANSWERS:

What is the working principle of solid-state battery?

How do solid-state batteries work?

Solid-state batteries have almost the same mechanism as lithium-ion batteries for extracting electricity from the batteries. Metal is used as the material for the electrodes, and electrical flow is generated by ions moving through the electrolyte between the cathode and anode.

How does a solid-state EV battery work?

Solid-state batteries work pretty much like a conventional lithium-ion one, just that they have a solid electrolyte instead of the liquid one through which the lithium ions flow. The basic principle, however, is the same. A big plus is they don't have the safety issues a liquid electrolyte brings.

What are the applications of solid-state battery?

Uses. Solid-state batteries are potentially useful in pacemakers, RFIDs, wearable devices, and electric vehicles.

What are the advantages of a solid-state battery?

They offer high energy density, better safety, and a longer lifespan. Now let us at their advantages in detail: Solid-state batteries are smaller in size and lighter in weight. Hence they can be a part of mobile power applications, boats, airplanes, and other electric vehicles.

What is the chemistry of solid-state batteries?

The cell chemistry of all-solid state cells is in general the same as of liquid electrolyte cells. Anode materials comprise carbon, titanates, Li-alloys and metallic lithium; cathode materials are Li-based oxides (LCO, NCA), and phosphates (LFP), vanadium oxide and future microstructural 5 V materials.

What is the energy density of a solid-state battery?

Solid-state battery technology is believed to deliver higher energy densities (2.5x). Solid-state batteries have excellent theoretical energy density. Cathode: Lithium cobaltate ? Anode: Graphite→Energy density 370Wh/kg (Cobalt type: theoretical limit value)

Do solid-state batteries work?

A solid-state battery can increase energy density per unit area since only a small number of batteries are needed. For that reason, a solid-state battery is perfect to make an EV battery system of module and pack, which needs high capacity.

Are solid-state batteries the future of EV batteries?

According to Transport and Environment (T&E) commission, solid-state batteries can store more energy using fewer materials and are able to reduce the carbon footprint of an EV battery by 39% by using sustainably sourced technology and proper materials. Solid-state batteries are likely to be used in almost every electric vehicle from 2025.

How long do solid batteries last?

Solid-state batteries have a longer lifespan (around 10 years) i.e., they can have 10,000 charging and discharging cycles.

Can solid-state batteries explode?

No, the chances of an explosion are very less. Since it uses solid electrolytes.

Which major companies focus on solid-state batteries?

Companies like Blue solutions, Quantum scape, and Toyota motor corporation are working on solid-state batteries.

How Long Will A Solid-state Battery Last?

It’s almost common knowledge at this point that electric vehicles are expected to last longer than a traditional internal combustion vehicle. Currently, it is required by the government that EVs carry a warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles. California went a step further and made it 10 years or 150,000 miles. That doesn’t appear to have stopped any of the automakers from moving forward to an all-electric future, so the claims have some weight behind them. Taking into account that all EVs are currently lithium-ion batteries, what does that say about what we can expect from solid-state batteries Batteries with a solid electrolyte are purported to be 2-3 times denser than lithium ions, and some tests have shown that they can last twice as long or better. As, we are still in the lab stage of the new technology, but if these tests translate into the real world, then the future of electric vehicles is looking very bright..


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