Researchers developed a printing tech that doubles lithium-metal battery stability, making safer, high-capacity power for EVs.
A South Korean research team has developed a novel printing technology that more than doubles the stability of next-generation lithium-metal batteries. This development could enable energy storage that is powerful enough for long-range electric vehicle s.
“Offering ten times the theoretical capacity of conventional lithium-ion batteries, lithium-metal anodes are a key material in solid-state and lithium-sulfur batteries, which demand high energy density,” said the researchers in a press release.“However, the risk of dendrite formation during charge/discharge cycles raises safety concerns, including short-circuiting and fire hazards, while also limiting battery lifespan.”The innovation from scientists at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology directly addresses the formation of “dendrites,” a persistent issue that has made these high-capacity batteries challenging to commercialize.In pouch-cell tests, lithium anodes protected by the new technology maintained 81.5% of their initial capacity after 100 charge-discharge cycles and demonstrated a Coulombic efficiency of 99.1%. This represents more than twice the stability of unprotected lithium cells. Even under high-rate conditions that fully discharge the battery in just nine minutes, the cells retained 74.1% of their capacity, showing stability under demanding situations.Creating new manufacturing methodDuring charging, needle-like structures called dendrites can form on the lithium surface, growing until they pierce the battery’s internal barrier, causing short-circuits and potential fires.The team, led by Dr. Jungdon Suk, addressed this challenge by creating a new manufacturing method. Instead of using conventional “wet coating” processes that rely on solvents that can damage the highly reactive lithium metal, they developed a solvent-free, roll-based transfer printing technique. “The research team developed two types of protective layers: a dual-layer composed of alumina and gold , and a hybrid layer combining ceramic and polymer components,” explained the press release.The process works by creating an ultra-thin hybrid protective film of ceramic and polymer on a separate sheet and then laminating it directly onto the lithium surface with pressure. This approach eliminates damage and ensures a uniform coating.“This study combines novel protective materials and a scalable transfer printing process to overcome the critical challenges of interfacial instability and wet-processing limitations in lithium-metal batteries,” explained Dr. Suk of KRICT’s Advanced Battery Research Center. The team has already shown the method is scalable, successfully applying the protective film over a large 245×50 mm area.Solution for enabling high-energy batteriesThis development is expected to accelerate the practical use of high-energy batteries not only in electric vehicles but also in large-scale energy storage systems and other advanced platforms like solid-state and lithium-sulfur batteries.“This represents one of the most practical solutions for enabling high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries and could boost Korea’s competitiveness in the global battery industry,” concluded KRICT President Dr. Young-Kuk Lee.In another development, researchers in China have created a lithium metal battery with a built-in flame suppressant. Their prototype includes a polymer that releases fire-inhibiting chemicals when temperatures rise, acting like a miniature fire extinguisher.
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