Traditional solid polymer electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries have several drawbacks. That’s because they have low thermal stability. And this can in turn lead to battery thermal runaway, and even disastrous fires. Scientists as Purdue University in Indiana have developed a new composite solid polymer electrolyte, which they say tackles these problems head on. Could this herald a new age of safer lithium-ion batteries?
What’s Wrong With Solid Polymer Electrolytes?
The University report – see link below – says the low conductivity of the current generation of lithium-ion batteries has several drawbacks:
- The batteries do not perform satisfactorily at high temperatures.
- This shortcoming can reduce energy efficiency, and battery life.
- Lower-energy batteries with reduced energy-efficiency deplete faster.
- This effectively under-utilizes scarce space in compact devices.
The team at Purdue University claims to have nailed these problems on the head, with their prototype lithium-ion battery incorporating their new composite, solid polymer electrolyte.
- The battery has a wider voltage window of around 4.8 volts and is more powerful.
- It remains stable despite cell damage, leading to a huge increase in safety.
- Their prototype shows excellent thermal stability up to around 330° C.
- Damaged batteries continue operating without catching fire, or exploding.
How the Purdue Team Achieved This Success
The press report, to which we link below, does not disclose a detailed explanation of the new chemistry. However, it does mention, “we have further developed advanced electrolytes with fire-retardant molecules as a quasi-solid-state battery, enhancing the lithium-ion battery safety”.
They are continuing their research with further “electrolyte composite optimization, battery overcharging, and nail penetration and thermal abuse testing”. We look forward to safer electric vehicles, wearables, pacemakers, and communication systems in future.
Watch this space for more exciting developments in our world of batteries. U.S.A. News & World Report has consistently ranked Purdue University in the top ten for innovation across the past five years. We’ll watch with interest to see what they come up with next.
More Information
Energy Versus Power in Batteries Unpacked
Lithium-Ion Cell Shapes and Sizes
