Rechargeable lithium batteries operate by shuttling tiny ions back and forth between two electrodes. We explore the hidden lithium pathways in solid state batteries, that these ions travel through solid electrolyte.
Why Do We Need Solid State Lithium Batteries?
Solid state batteries replace liquid electrolyte with a solid version. A solid electrolyte should make batteries safer, longer lasting, and capable of storing more energy.
Solid batteries should therefore be able to extend the driving range of electric vehicles. And also improve the performance of portable electronics and energy storage.
Moving Lithium Ions Through Solid Electrolyte
Moving lithium ions through a solid material is more difficult than moving them through a liquid. The ions must find suitable pathways through solid microscopic structures.
Tiny imperfections, changes in crystal configurations, and internal stresses can all slow or block ion movement. We can’t view these events easily inside a battery case. As a result, researchers have struggled to see exactly how lithium travels while a battery is operating.
If We Could See Clearly We Could Achieve More
Understanding these hidden lithium pathways in solid state batteries could help us design batteries that charge faster, last longer, and deliver their full potential in everyday use. Now, finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel!
New Research Reveals Hidden Lithium Pathways
Research by scientists at National Taiwan University, has revealed how lithium travels in solid state batteries. Moreover, they also disclose how fast charging can cause irreversible lithium migration, and this is breaking news.
Their report on Wiley Portal describes how they used two x-ray techniques to watch lithium ions moving inside solid electrolyte while the battery operated.
What the Researchers Saw As They Watched Amazed
- Lithium ions do not move uniformly through the solid battery electrolyte.
- Some hidden highly–crystalline regions are the ions preferred ‘highways’.
- Stresses within solid electrolyte create areas where the ions cannot travel.
- Rapid charging traps some lithium ions irreversibly in solid electrolyte.
These findings are technically important for electrolyte design. Once again, they suggest that fast charging should perhaps be the exception, and not the general rule.
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