Solid-state batteries are the lithium-ion industry’s holy grail because they contain no volatile chemicals, have no dendrites, and pose no risk of fire.
So, why aren’t electric vehicle manufacturers utilizing them?
Because the technology is still in its infancy. There are currently no commercially available solid-state batteries, despite the fact that companies such as Quantumscape, StoreDot, and Solid Power are investing millions of dollars in developing them for mass production.
While the majority of researchers working on solid-state batteries use ceramics as the electrolyte, ceramics are brittle, limiting battery life. However, scientists at Brown University and the University of Maryland have proposed a novel concept. They are starting with cellulose nanofibrils found in wood cellulose to create a solid-state electrolyte.
The material they discovered is paper-thin, allowing it to bend and flex in response to the stress generated by the battery cycles.
Combining polymer tubes derived from cellulose with copper results in a solid ion conductor with conductivity comparable to ceramics and up to 100 times that of other polymer ion conductors.
They assert that it possesses the electrochemical stability necessary for the use of a lithium-metal anode and high voltage cathodes. Additionally, it could serve as a binder material for ultra-thick cathodes in high density batteries.
The most frequently mentioned date when solid-state batteries are going to be available is 2025. Using materials nature provides will reduce the overall impact of battery manufacture to our environment.
Reference- Journal Nature, Clean Technica, Science Alert, Popular Science