The new battery of Chinese researchers is on Tesla’s hands

Chinese researchers are realizing the dream of long-distance electric flight by developing a type of battery that has a higher energy density.

Researchers from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have set a new record by developing a battery whose energy density reaches 711 Wh/kg. This capacity is three times that of the examples currently used for electronic vehicles.

Energy density has always been a serious challenge for the development of electronic transportation methods, which researchers are now trying to overcome. Higher energy density increases the availability of power in vehicles and thus increases their range or load capacity.

Although the delivery of electric vehicles with a range of 1,000 km is a welcome achievement, higher energy battery packs are critical for electrifying long-haul water as well as air transportation. The research of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is a big step in this direction.

How did the Chinese develop their new batteries?

A group of researchers led by Li Hong and Zhiqian Yu, professors of China’s National Research Center for Physics, produced a 10Ah class soft-packaged lithium secondary battery. The package was made using a very thin lithium metal anode as well as a manganese oxide-based cathode that was rich in lithium. These electrodes were tested by North China Automobile Research Institute.

Aiming to increase the energy storage density, the researchers expanded the charging and discharging voltage range and simultaneously focused on the structural capabilities of the anode and cathode as lithium ions are deposited on the electrodes and dissolved in the battery during the charging and discharging process. In addition, they used diaphragm coating technology to solve large-scale thin lithium reversibility problems while exploring ways to make electrolytes perform better in different settings.

Finally, the researchers were able to record an energy density of 711.30 Wh/kg and a volumetric energy density of 1653.65 Wh/l, which is much higher than the existing batteries in the market. By comparison, the 4,680 cells that Tesla plans to use in its future models offer an energy density of 244 watt-hours per kilogram.

A long way to go in the development of new batteries

The development of high-energy batteries has been under study since Sony demonstrated the commercial application of lithium-ion technology in 1991. When it comes to advancing technology with commercial applications, today’s research is conducted on a larger scale than in academic labs. For example, CATL, a Chinese battery manufacturer, showed off a 500Wh/kg battery pack a few months ago.

However, it was Dalhousie University that finally succeeded in developing a battery with an energy density of 575 Wh/kg. Of course, we are still far from the commercialization of this technology. From charging time to operating temperature to lifespan and potential explosion hazards, there is a long list of considerations that a new battery pack must successfully pass before it can go into mass production.

Acknowledging this fact, the researchers believe that there is much room for improvement in their design. However, a new record for energy stored in a battery has been set, which could be the first big step towards the realization of mankind’s dream of achieving a long-range all-electric flight.