Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) in the US found that rubber could become a viable alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries. They realized that this common material, when formulated into a 3D structure, acts as a superhighway for the rapid transport of ions.
With this approach, scientists were able to manufacture energy cells that have superior mechanical strength, resulting in batteries with much greater storage capacity, which could be used to increase the range of electric vehicles, for example.
“In conventional lithium batteries, the ions are powered by a liquid electrolyte. However, even the slightest damage can cause this electrolyte to leak, causing an explosion or fire. This lack of security forces the industry to look to solid-state batteries, which can be made with inorganic ceramic material or organic polymers,” explains mechanical engineering professor Seung Woo Lee.
Want to stay on top of the best tech news of the day? Access and subscribe to our new youtube channel, Kenyannews News. Every day a summary of the main news from the tech world for you!
rubber electrolytes
Batteries made with ceramic material or conventional polymers do not have sufficient ionic conductivity and mechanical stability to operate reliably. Georgia Tech engineers solved these problems related to the slow transport of ions using rubber electrolytes.
The main advance was to make the material form a three-dimensional plastic crystal phase within the rubber matrix. With this structure, it was possible to increase the ionic conductivity and improve the mechanical properties, in addition to increasing the electrochemical stability of the batteries.
“This rubber electrolyte can be made using a simple polymerization process under low temperature conditions, generating robust and smooth interfaces on the surface of the electrodes. This technique prevents the growth of lithium dendrites and facilitates the movement of ions, enabling reliable solid-state battery operation even at room temperature,” adds Lee.
Longer range for electric vehicles
By increasing the ionic conductivity, the scientists demonstrated that it is possible to move more ions at the same time. With the increased power and higher density of these batteries, they expect to significantly increase the average mileage of electric vehicles.
The next step will be to improve the performance of these rubber batteries, increasing the number of cycles and reducing the charging time. So far, the team has achieved a significant breakthrough, resulting in twice the performance compared to conventional lithium-ion cells.
“Fully solid-state batteries can dramatically increase the range and safety of electric cars. With our discovery, there are great expectations for the rapid application and commercialization of these solid-state energy cells made of rubber polymers”, concludes Professor Seung Woo Lee.
