Researchers make surprising breakthrough in search for tech's 'holy grail': 'Significant advancement'

Solid-state batteries have long been considered a holy grail in the green tech sector for a bevy of reasons, and a recent breakthrough made by a team of Chinese researchers could mean this hotly anticipated innovation is closer to reality than ever.

An article in Tech Xplore recently covered the compelling new findings, originally published in the journal Science in April, after researchers set out to identify the primary causes for SSB degradation.

Dendritic buildup — described as "needle-like structures" that accumulate in the battery's solid-state lithium — can undermine the structural integrity of SSBs over time, leading to premature loss of functionality or battery failure. Addressing the "open question of why" such failures occur, researchers discovered what they believe is the culprit: metal fatigue.

According to the outlet, "one of the major reasons solid-state lithium batteries fail over time is metal fatigue in the anode," the negative terminal of a battery that "releases electrons during buildup." 

Researchers determined that fatigue in the lithium metal anode "follows the Coffin-Manson equation in mechanics," which suggests the trait is an "innate characteristic" of the manufacturing material. As such, their findings allow for targeted approaches to overcome the substance's tendency to succumb to "interface degradation."

As their name suggests, the primary difference between solid-state batteries and lithium-ion batteries is that SSBs lack the "conventional liquid electrolyte" that powers their Li-ion counterparts. SSBs boast superior energy density — the amount of energy a unit of storage can hold — outpacing lithium-ion batteries by as much as 50%. 

Of course, that particularly impressive trait is of interest due to SSBs' potential to extend the range of electric vehicles even further.  

In addition to storing more power in less space, SSBs charge far faster than Li-ion batteries and are expected to slash charging intervals on longer trips. They can withstand a much higher number of lifetime charge cycles, and while fires are rarer in EVs than fires in vehicles with internal combustion engines, solid-state batteries are safer still, reducing the already-small risk associated with liquid electrolyte batteries.

There's no question SSBs are an extraordinarily promising technology, and researchers are working hard to resolve a few lingering design challenges to unleash their groundbreaking potential on the thriving EV market. 

In its coverage of the study, China Daily hailed it as a "significant advancement that could reshape the future of electric vehicles" as EV makers across the world clamor to "embrace next-generation battery technologies."

The study's authors said that "clarifying the essential role of fatigue" established a firm "physical basis" to pinpoint and ultimately resolve SSB degradation. The finding "paves the way to extending their lifespan," they concluded.

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