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Li-Ion Battery Inventor Creates Breakthrough Solid-State Battery, Holds 3X Charge (fossbytes.com)

A research team led by John Goodenough at the Cockrell School of Engineering (Yes, this is a legitimate story) has created a new fast charging solid-state battery. Decades ago, American physicist John Goodenough co-invented the lithium-ion battery, which is now omnipresent in today's technology. The team has published a research paper in the journal Energy and Environmental Science. Fossbytes reports: The design limitations of lithium batteries containing liquid electrolytes don't allow them to charge quickly. If done forcefully, it would lead to the formation of metal whiskers (dendrites). Eventually, a short circuit would happen, or the battery would explode. However, that's not the problem with the solid-state batteries. The researchers have used a solid glass electrolyte in place of the liquid one. The glass electrolyte allows the researchers to use the alkali metal anode (negative side) which increases the charge density of the battery and prevents the formation of dendrites. Also, the glass electrolyte enables a battery to operate in extreme temperatures of -20-degree celsius. You can read more via The University of Texas at Austin.

6 of 306 comments (clear)

  1. A "noble prize"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Are you morons even trying anymore?

  2. Re:Is it good for a thousand cycles? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    From TFA: 'In experiments, the researchers’ cells have demonstrated more than 1,200 cycles with low cell resistance.'

  3. Re: When is -20c extreme? by Kkloe · · Score: 5, Informative

    It is when the current charging recommendation is >0 for LI-ion so anything below is extreme for LI-ion.

  4. Re: -20C is not extreme, it is monday by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    As always, comments before reading TFA: "This is the first all-solid-state battery cell that can operate under 60 degree Celsius."
    So yes, -20C is extreme for this type of solid state battery.

  5. Michigan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    A few weeks ago, Nova showed a lithium-metal battery developed at Univ. of Michigan that uses plastic, has 2X the energy density of Li-ion, and doesn't explode or burn even when cut numerous times. Pogue showed such a battery continuing to produce power even when sliced many times with scissors.

  6. Re:Fantastic, really. by dbIII · · Score: 5, Informative

    Spoken like someone who only takes one facile view of very complicated issues.

    The irony of that statement is you are simplisticly casting yourself in my role without even attempting to find out that I'm an engineer that some years back worked in the manufacturing industry - you removed the complexity and placed a very simple strawman in the place of someone who has been considering this issue since the 1980s.
    Also I gave two examples - two views of companies that were very reluctant to upgrade their processess and suffered very gravely.

    I could have been as insulting as you have, but instead of pointing out appalling ignonance on your part I placed the spotlight on two examples of others who acted in the same appalling ignorance as you expressed.
    Factories that do not upgrade process lines shut down while the work is carried out elsewhere in places that do. Haven't you heard of the "rust belt"?