Chonnam National University researchers develop stable lithium-metal battery electrolyte

Researchers at Chonnam National University in South Korea have developed a new tri-layer composite solid electrolyte (CSE) designed to stabilize lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). This advancement addresses the issue of lithium dendrites, which are dangerous growths that typically limit the use of high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries.

The electrolyte design was inspired by the adhesive proteins used by mussels to attach to rocks. It features two soft outer layers made of a PEO/lithium salt matrix to maintain electrode contact, surrounding a central hard layer reinforced with polydopamine-coated ceramic particles and a flexible triblock copolymer. This architecture resulted in ionic conductivity nearly four times higher than standard polyethylene oxide (PEO) electrolytes.

In laboratory testing, the cells demonstrated 1,000 hours of stable, dendrite-free cycling and retained over 80% capacity after 1,000 cycles. Additionally, a flexible pouch cell was able to continue powering an LED even after being folded or partially cut, suggesting potential applications for electric vehicles, wearable electronics, and grid-scale energy storage.