Developing a Rechargeable Li-Air Battery with Record Energy Density

Thursday - April 27 2023, 22:57 UTC - 1 year ago

Lithium-Air batteries with an energy density of nearly four times that of traditional Lithium-Ion batteries have recently been developed. The team from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have opened the door for Li-Air batteries to compete with traditional gas powered engines in the future.

Lithium-Air batteries have been in development since the early part of the 2010s as a potential way to exceed the energy density of even gasoline. A team of researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have now demonstrated, with a test cell, a Li-Air battery with an impressive 1000 cycle lifespan demonstrating its stability over repeated charge and discharge.\nThe success of their test cell, thanks in large part to the development of their composite electrolyte base, allows the Li-Air battery to undergo a four-electron redox reaction through the formation and decomposition of lithium oxide. The energy density of their new battery is nearly four times better than that of lithium-ion batteries.

"With further development, we expect our new design for the lithium-air battery to also reach a record energy density of 1200 watt-hours per kilogram," said Curtis. "This could potentially revolutionize transportation and energy storage as we know it." .

Although lithium-air batteries are still not commercially available and the energy density is still lower than traditional gasoline powered engines, the research around lithium-air batteries is continuing to advance. New and improved electrolyte, electrode, and separator designs are all being developed and tested, in the hopes of creating an even more powerful energy storage device.

The team from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has opened the door for Li-Air batteries to become a competitive competitor to traditional gas powered engines. Their study lays the groundwork for improved energy storage for the future of electricity powered vehicles.