Harvard University researchers developed Solid state battery can full charge in 10 minutes

Researchers at Harvard University have achieved success in their research on solid-state battery technology. The research, published in the new edition of Nature Materials, shows how a solid-state battery can be made to fully recharge in under 10 minutes. The lithium metal battery researchers are from Harvard's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). The lead author of the article published in Nature Materials is Jin Li, who is also an associate professor of materials science at SEAS. The newly designed battery has an estimated charging cycle of 6,000, which is significantly higher than any other pouch battery cell.

According to the researcher, lithium metal anodes are the first choice in batteries because they have 10 times the capacity of commercial graphite anodes. With these, the driving range of the EV can be increased to a great extent. The researcher says that his research has important implications for practical solid-state batteries with high efficiency for industrial and commercial use.

The formation of dendrites on the anode is a major challenge in the manufacturing of solid-state batteries. These can be deposited on the lithium and leach into the electrolyte. Their generation helps in damaging the barrier separating the anode and cathode, leading to the possibility of short-circuit or fire. The research team has designed a multilayer battery that separates different materials between the anode and cathode. This 2021 design prevented lithium dendrites from forming, although it did not completely stop their growth.

The Harvard research team's breakthrough was that they prevented dendrites from forming by using micron-sized silicon particles in the anode, thereby confining the reaction to the surface. According to lead author Lee, lithium metal is wrapped around the silicon particle. Plating and stripping can be fast on a flat surface, with the battery fully recharged in about 10 minutes.

The finished battery cell retained 80 percent of its capacity after 6,000 cycles, which was better than any pouch cell battery on the market. This technology has been licensed to Aden Energy by the Harvard Office of Technology Development. Aden Energy is part of research at Harvard. It was founded by Jin Lee and 3 other Harvard alumni. Technology is being expanded to produce smartphone batteries that are larger than pouch cell batteries. There is still time to create the ultimate solid-state battery before it becomes a commercial product. Large scale production of such technology is full of challenges.