Samsung has recently developed a solid-state battery that allows an electric vehicle (EV) to continue to travel for 500 miles (about 800 kilometers) when fully charged. This technology has greatly increased the power density of EV battery technology.
Although the idea of an all-solid-state power supply is not new, Samsung researchers believe they have come up with a solution to this battery that can address issues surrounding life and stability.
We know that traditional lithium-ion batteries rely on liquid electrolytes, which are currently used in most commercial EVs. Lithium ions pass from the battery's negative electrode through the electrolyte, reach the positive electrode, and then release energy to drive the car's engine.
The problem is that current battery technology and power density are limiting. This means that if you want an EV with more battery life, manufacturers must build batteries that can hold more power.
In this process, it increases the weight and volume of the battery, which will bring harm to the overall mileage and performance of the car.
Another problem with liquid electrolytes is safety. Piercing the battery bag, the battery is likely to explode, and it is the painful price Samsung paid when it launched the Galaxy Note 7.
In contrast, solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes, which are obviously safer because they are less likely to explode, but at the same time they bring new challenges.
Usually they are made with a lithium metal anode instead of a liquid electrolyte, but they are prone to form dendrites on the anode of the battery, which in turn will reduce the battery life and negatively affect overall safety.
The solution jointly developed by Samsung Advanced Technology Research Institute (SAIT) and Samsung Japan Research and Development Center (SRJ) uses a different anode coating with a 5-micron silver-carbon layer (Ag-C).
Although the Ag-C content is small, it is sufficient to solve the problem of dendrite in the test pouch battery. In this way, the anode can be made thinner and the energy density can be increased to 900 Wh / L.
Although it is still in the prototype stage, the volume of the test bag battery may be about 50% smaller than that of the traditional lithium-ion battery.
This may mean that the range of an EV is the same as that of a traditional power car, but the weight and battery volume are only about half of the latter.
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