Aluminum solid-state battery retains 99% capacity after 10,000 charging cycles
The results of a new study almost sound too good to be true. A battery cell that can be produced from inexpensive materials with moderate effort fundamentally outperforms other battery technologies across the board. After 10,000 charging cycles, the capacity was still at 99% of its original value. At the same time, efficiency consistently remained above 99%, even though lithium-ion batteries are still slightly better in this regard. However, they cannot compete with the stability and durability shown by this new solid-state battery.
Remarkably safe solid-state battery
This also applies to another equally important characteristic: The researchers punctured, short-circuited, and heated the developed battery cell up to 1,000°C. It did not leak, catch fire, and even at 200°C it had the same voltage as at room temperature.
This was achieved with an aluminum-ion battery whose liquid electrolyte consists of aluminum chloride, which tends to corrode rapidly in most experiments. The anode is damaged and the battery cells age quickly. The addition of aluminum fluoride and an electrode coating with a special kind of salt transformed the cell into a solid-state battery, which solved this issue. In combination, both ingredients ensure high operational safety and exceptional longevity.
The researchers, who are affiliated with Peking University and the Beijing Institute of Technology, further emphasize the high recyclability. Aluminum fluoride can be washed out and almost completely reused to manufacture new battery cells. Aluminum by itself is also highly recyclable.
Utilization in mobile devices could be difficult
The biggest caveat of this aluminum-based battery is its energy density, which is significantly lower than that of competing technologies at around 150 watt-hours per kilogram. This corresponds to just one-third to one-fifth of the currently best solid-state batteries and Li-ion batteries, but it still compares well to a typical household battery.
Therefore, it seems likely that these extremely durable and potentially inexpensive aluminum-ion solid-state batteries will be primarily used in stationary devices. While there would certainly be demand for this, it remains to be seen whether the commercial production of these batteries will succeed. Its technical properties definitely seems enticing.
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