Next-gen lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles, smart…

Next-gen lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles, smart grids

As renewable energy grows as a power source around the world, one key component still eludes the industry: large-scale, stable, efficient and affordable batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries have proven successful for consumer electronics, but electric vehicles, wind turbines or smart grids require batteries with far greater energy capacity. A leading contender is the lithium-metal battery, which differs from lithium ion technology in that it contains lithium metal electrodes.

First conceived in 1912, lithium-metal batteries have the potential for huge amounts of energy storage at a low cost, but they suffer from a fatal flaw: dendrites – sharp needles made of clumps of lithium atoms that can cause batteries to heat up and occasionally short-circuit and catch fire.

However, the promise of the technology has kept researchers and companies working on ways to overcome this problem.

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