14 DAY TRIAL // Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich have announced they successfully tested a new solid-state battery model that can handle higher temperatures and improve fire safety compared to older Lithium-Ion batteries.
The new battery doesn't use a liquid or gel-based electrolyte, relying on a porous substance to transfer the charge between the positive and negative rods.
It's this solid and porous substance, which is a mixture of Lithium and Garnet, that makes the difference, according to the three researchers, Jan van den Broek, Semih Ayfon, and Jennifer L. M. Rupp.
New model removes fire safety risk
The Lithium-Garnet compound replaces classic Lithium-based salts and organic solvents used with Lithium-Ion and other types of batteries in the past.
There have been many reported cases where these liquid and gel substances have heated over their normal temperature, expanded, and then exploded or caught fire due to the rising temperature inside the battery.
The new solid-state compound has the highest known conductivity for Lithium ions, allowing the charging and discharging process to occur, while any heat expansion takes place using the space made available via the pores.
As such, the battery can function properly at higher temperatures, which classic models couldn't reach.
New battery model operates best at over 95 degrees Celsius
According to Semih Ayfon, one of the three researchers, the new Lithium-Garnet batteries can work at room temperatures, but their optimal working point is above 95 degrees Celsius.
"In this work we have for the first time built a whole lithium-ion battery with a solid lithium garnet electrolyte and a solid minus pole made of an oxide-based material. Thus, we have shown that it is possible to build whole batteries based on lithium garnet," ETH Professor Rupp added. "These thin-film batteries could revolutionise the energy supply of portable electronic devices."
