CSIRO and Piotrek develop next-generation solid-state lithium batteries

From the fire after Tesla's collision accident to the fire caused by the squeeze of Wei Lai's battery pack, endless cases of electric car fires have greatly reduced consumer confidence in electric vehicles. As the core components of electric vehicles, power batteries carry important safety responsibilities. Solid-state Lithium Batteries do not have volatile and flammable liquids like traditional batteries, and will not burn easily under impact and damage. Therefore, solid-state lithium batteries are more recognized by many electric vehicle manufacturers.

A few days ago, Australian national scientific institution CSIRO and Japanese professional chemical manufacturer Piotrek reached a cooperation. In the next five years, both parties will commercialize solid-state Lithium Battery technology on a global scale. It is reported that this cooperation will be equipped with next-generation lithium battery technology for portable electronic devices, drones and electric vehicles, and meet the critical safety needs of lithium batteries by preventing battery fires.

CSIRO and Piotrek will use the former's unique reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization technology and the latter's ion-conducting polymer (ICP) technology to jointly develop the next-generation solid polymer electrolyte for lithium batteries . Generally speaking, the combination of these two technologies can make the current lithium battery technology safer and more efficient. RAFT technology can extend the versatility of different types of batteries and reduce the cost of assembly and manufacturing of equipment. ICP technology makes the performance of the entire solid-state lithium battery more stable.

In addition, CSIRO will use robots together with Piotrek to realize the automated process of manufacturing electrolytes, and will authorize other companies to use new electrolyte formulations. At present, in addition to the positive and negative electrode materials, the main components of most lithium batteries on the market are electrolyte and separator. The special combination of these materials and structures makes lithium ions move back and forth in the battery's positive and negative electrodes, forming a charge and discharge effect.

However, when the battery is overcharged, it may release too much heat and destroy the safety performance of the battery. The new electrolyte formula is to make the battery performance more stable and eliminate the negative possibility caused by overcharge / overdischarge from the source. According to reports, the energy of the next-generation solid-state lithium battery may be twice that of the current lithium battery, and the safety performance has also been greatly improved.

CSIRO is Australia's largest national scientific and technological research institution. It mainly improves economic and social benefits for Australia through scientific research. It has more than 35 years of research experience in lithium battery technology development. Adam Best, head of the CSIRO battery research department, said that there are many companies competing to develop solid-state lithium batteries. It is expected that products using solid-state lithium batteries will be available in the market by 2025. (Author: Yan Ming Wei)