Battery Technology - May 2021 - 14

Range-Doubling

Lithium-Metal
Batteries
In its development,
the U-M team utilized
LZZO, a solid-state
electrolyte that
replaces the liquid
electrolytes found in
commercial batteries.
(University of
Michigan)

" Build Themselves "

in Li-Ion
Manufacturing Method
Lithium-metal solid-state batteries can provide a safer, more
energy-dense alternative to current technology.

ithium-metal batteries, capable of doubling the capacity of today's standard
lithium-ion cells, can be
built utilizing much of the
current Li-ion battery manufacturing process, according to researchers
at the University of Michigan. Their findings, part of a project supported by the
U.S. Department of Energy, remove a major
hurdle for automakers looking to embrace
the next major evolution in energy storage technology for electric vehicles (EVs).

Currently the go-to power source for EVs,
lithium-ion cell chemistry is nearing its
peak in terms of specific energy. It also continues to have issues related to onboard
fires. " Anode-less " lithium-metal batteries
may provide the next leap forward in battery technology for electric vehicles that
are increasingly replacing internal combustion cars and trucks on the road. And the
new production technique represents a
potential cost savings for automakers.
A team of researchers led by Jeff Sakamoto, a U-M associate professor of me-

chanical engineering, previously demonstrated that batteries made with lithiummetal anodes can safely double the output of similarly sized lithium-ion cells
that use graphite anodes. To do that, the
team utilized Li7La3Zr2O12 - a solidstate electrolyte known as LLZO - that
takes the place of the liquid electrolytes
found in commercial batteries.
But lithium metal is reactive and weak,
making it extremely difficult to handle
and integrate into batteries, especially
using state-of-the-art manufacturing equipBattery Technology, May 2021

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Battery Technology - May 2021

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