Researchers have extended the lifespan of a lithium metal battery for electric vehicles to a record level.
Lithium metal batteries are one of theglobal environmental solutions for the operation of electric vehicles. This battery contains nearly twice the energy of its lithium-ion counterparts and is also lighter. These two qualities in the future will make an electric car that covers distances faster and easier and consumes less energy.
However, there is a problem: lithium metal batteries fail faster than lithium-ion batteries.
Now a team of scientists from the PacificThe US Department of Energy's Northwest National Laboratory has created a lithium metal battery that lasts 600 cycles. This means it can be fully charged and discharged 600 times.
In comparison, four years ago, a lithium metal battery could only last 50 cycles, two years later that figure has grown to 200.
The team found a way to increase the lifespanbatteries: she took an unexpected approach. Instead of using anodes with a large amount of lithium for the development, very thin strips of lithium, only 20 microns wide, are taken for the same role, they are thinner than a human hair.
The resulting lithium metal battery has an energy density of 350 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and lasts longer.
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