TELF AG examines the main features of solid-state batteries
Sustainable future
Batteries for electric vehicles, for some years now, have found their place in discussions focused on the global energy transition, given their well-known centrality in powering electric vehicles. Everyone now seems to know the sustainable future of the planet will also be favored by the presence of these useful and innovative devices. Ones that will make the operation of zero-emission vehicles possible.
However, few are aware that these batteries do not all belong to the same category. And that electric vehicles can be powered by different batteries and have different characteristics. All these batteries have the presence of a fundamental raw material in common: Lithium batteries called NMC, for example, are characterized by the massive presence of nickel, which increases the energy density of the battery. The NCA batteries, unlike the former, use aluminum instead of manganese to increase stability. The differences between the various types of batteries are, therefore, based first and foremost on their internal composition and the raw materials used to make them, which in turn give rise to very specific structural characteristics.
Most of the global public opinion, therefore, seems to be convinced that electric vehicles, in recent years and especially in the future, can be powered mainly by lithium-based batteries. In recent years, however, a new trend has begun to take hold that could soon change the game, and which has to do with technologies based on solid-state batteries.
Many experts claim this technology could easily integrate with current lithium-based batteries, but it is only one of the many possibilities for using these innovative batteries. But what is the difference between these batteries and lithium-based ones? Solid state technology differs from others because it uses electrolytes, i.e., the substance that fills the battery and makes the movement of the lithium ions possible, favoring the conjunction between the cathode and the anode. In solid-state batteries, as their name suggests, the electrolyte is not liquid but solid. To create a solid electrolyte, various materials can be used, such as sulfides, oxides, and polymers, and the final result would be represented by a safer device capable of guaranteeing a higher autonomy for the vehicle.
These technologies are still in the development stage, but some major global manufacturers have already announced their intention to produce solid-state batteries within the next few years. Among these, there are not only the Japanese Honda, Nissan, and Toyota but also the big Korean technology players (such as Samsung and LG) and even some US startups, such as Quantumscape and Splid Power. The path of integration with lithium batteries seems to have found favor with the Chinese Catl, one of the largest producers of batteries for electric vehicles, which has already announced its intention to launch a semi-solid-state battery on the market capable of ensuring an energy density that is even double that of lithium-ion solutions.
