Li-metal battery promises double capacity of Li-ion
5 October 2016
Editor's Choice
Electronics Technology
SolidEnergy Systems, a company founded in 2012 by MIT alumnus Qichao Hu, is preparing to commercialise a novel rechargeable lithium metal battery that is said to offer double the energy capacity of the lithium ion batteries that power many of today’s consumer electronics.
“With two times the energy density, we can make a battery half the size, but that still lasts the same amount of time as a lithium ion battery. Or we can make a battery the same size as a lithium ion battery, but now it will last twice as long,” says Hu, who co-invented the battery at MIT and is now CEO of SolidEnergy.
The battery essentially swaps out a common battery anode material, graphite, for very thin, high-energy lithium-metal foil, which can hold more ions and therefore provide more energy capacity. Chemical modifications to the electrolyte also make the typically short-lived and volatile lithium metal batteries rechargeable and safer to use. Moreover, the batteries are made using existing lithium ion manufacturing equipment, which makes them scalable.
In October 2015, SolidEnergy demonstrated the first ever working prototype of a rechargeable lithium metal smartphone battery with double energy density, which earned them more than $12 million from investors. At half the size of the lithium ion battery used in an iPhone 6, it offers 2 A hours, compared with the lithium ion battery’s 1,8 A hours.
SolidEnergy plans to bring the batteries to smartphones and wearables in early 2017, and to electric cars in 2018, but the first application will be drones, coming this November. “Several customers are using drones and balloons to provide free Internet to the developing world, and to survey for disaster relief,” Hu says. “It’s a very exciting and noble application.”
Putting these new batteries in electric vehicles as well could represent "a huge societal impact", Hu says. “Industry standard is that electric vehicles need to go at least 200 miles on a single charge. We can make the battery half the size and half the weight, and it will travel the same distance, or we can make it the same size and same weight, and now it will go 400 miles on a single charge.”
For more information visit www.solidenergysystems.com
Further reading:
Potential risks of plasma treatment on PCBs
MyKay Tronics
Editor's Choice
Plasma treatment involves exposing PCBs to an ionised gas, known as plasma, but despite many advantages, several risks must be managed to ensure safe and effective plasma application in EMS.
Read more...
X-band radar
RF Design
Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
X-band radar systems, particularly those leveraging beamforming ICs (BFICs), advanced gallium nitride (GaN) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) components, are leading the way in providing the high-performance radar capabilities required for modern defence and surveillance.
Read more...
LED driver for industrial power supply indication
Altron Arrow
Editor's Choice Circuit & System Protection
A simple and small solution for driving an LED to provide visual feedback in the presence/absence of a system’s power using a chip not originally designed for this purpose.
Read more...
Case Study: Siemens Valor automation solution
ASIC Design Services
Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Electronics manufacturer BMK used Siemens Valor to enhance accuracy and speed up bill-of-materials quotations.
Read more...
Four ways to enhance IoT battery performance using emulation software
Concilium Technologies
Editor's Choice
Battery life affects the cost and reliability of IoT-based infrastructure and is a key purchasing consideration for consumer electronic IoT devices.
Read more...
NuWave Technologies: Excellence in electronic component procurement
NuWave Technologies
Editor's Choice
Based in Randburg, Gauteng, NuWave Technologies is built on core values of integrity, honesty, transparency, and service excellence.
Read more...
Arduino platform with Analog Devices technology for flexible industrial control
Altron Arrow
Editor's Choice DSP, Micros & Memory
Software-configurable systems enable industrial OEMs to deliver unprecedented flexibility to the factory floor, while simplifying product complexity.
Read more...
Accelerating RF PCB design in a 5G world
ASIC Design Services
Editor's Choice Design Automation
Billions of IoT devices coming online in the coming years will require RF design capabilities that support ultra-fast 5G speeds.
Read more...
Achieving lowest cost, scalable and dynamic wireless mesh network installations
CST Electronics
Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
In many situations it is desirable for sensors to be connected wirelessly in a mesh network as this saves infrastructure and cost since long cabling runs are not required.
Read more...
Residues on PCBs – Causes and remedial measures
Electronic Industry Supplies
Editor's Choice Manufacturing / Production Technology, Hardware & Services
Soldering with wire and iron leaves process judgments up to individual operators, and can produce a wide variety of defects, scrap, or long-term quality issues.
Read more...
printer friendly version