Solid-state batteries will replace Lithium-ion batteries

Solid-state battery, has a capacity of 60% higher and reduces the risk of explosion compared to Lithium-ion.

Japan is leading a revolution in solid-state battery technology that replaces the now popular Lithium-ion battery . According to the WSJ , the country now ships thousands of solid-state batteries each month, and some companies are continuing to expand production this year.

The TDK solid-state battery is about the size of a grain of rice, designed to power small components inside the printer and wearable device.(Photo: TDK).

The goal of manufacturers is to put solid-state batteries on smartphones and electric vehicles. Currently, this new technology is too expensive and has not been extensively tested. However, the TDK company 's tiny battery (about the size of a grain of rice) was used for a printer component and an energy meter.

"With growing demand on small energy storage devices, we are urgently increasing production to meet customer needs," said Masahiro Oishi, head of TDK's solid-state battery project, for know.

Lithium-ion batteries were born paving the way for the popularity of mobile devices, electric vehicles, energy storage devices . Sony was the first company to commercialize Lithium-ion in 1991. However, the battery This may not meet the needs of the user. "The goal of solid-state batteries is to replace lithium-ion batteries in smartphones," said Norjo Nakajima, CEO of Murata. By using a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid state like a lithium-ion battery, solid-state batteries limit the risk of leakage or explosion.

Comparison between Lithium-ion battery and solid-state battery.With the same size, during charging, solid-state batteries store more power.(Photo: New Energy and Industry Technology Development Organization).

In fact, the first solid-state battery has been fitted on a pacemaker since 1970, but the idea of ​​using this technology in devices that consume more energy has been around for the past decade. In 2011, the research team of Professor Ryoji Kanno of the Tokyo Institute of Technology discovered a solid glass-like material that can conduct electricity like current electrolyte solution.

In addition, the solid electrolyte allows the battery manufacturer to make anodes of lithium metal batteries, instead of graphite. Lithium can contain more electrons than graphite, so the solid-state battery capacity is 60% higher than the same-sized Lithium-ion battery.

The biggest challenge in commercializing these batteries lies in the price . According to Nakajima, companies can adjust the size of a solid-state battery suitable for a variety of devices. However, his engineers will take up to three years of research before they can be put into mass production.

Milan Thakore, an expert at energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie, said the production of Lithium metal is still very small compared to graphite."Until we see large-scale production and supply chains, solid-state batteries are still technology by 2030 , " he said.

Even so, Japanese companies are making every effort to revolutionize battery technology. TDK currently produces around 30,000 solid-state batteries per month and plans to increase production of 100,000 batteries per month this year.

Besides smartphone applications, solid-state batteries for electric vehicles promise to help carmakers simplify the bulky cooling system for Lithium-ion batteries, thereby making the car lighter, more powerful. While Japan is a leading producer of mobile components, the study of electric vehicles involves several U.S. startups.

Lithium-ion batteries in electric cars are large and have a bulky cooling system.(Photo: Power Electronics).

Colorado-based Solid Power has received a $ 20 million grant and is working with Ford to develop new battery technology. According to Doug Campbell, CEO of Solid Power, the company's battery is about the size of a phone and "far exceeds Lithium-ion batteries in terms of both energy density and safety performance".

In Japan, Toyota and Panasonic, the battery manufacturer, have been involved in a government-led project, researching solid-state batteries for electric vehicles. The project aims to create a battery that is three times the capacity of Lithium-ion batteries at a cost of only one third. Kei Hoisoi, the project's leader, said the organization has started researching since 2018 and achieved some achievements, but the goal of reducing solid-state batteries is far away.

"We can now make solid-state batteries similar to those on the Nissan Leaf , " Hosoi said. "But we cannot enter the market until lower manufacturing costs."

1. Japan is about to introduce a solid-state battery, smaller than a fingertip, safer than a li-ion battery
2. Solid-state batteries that replace Li-ion batteries have taken an important step for smartphone applications