Chinese researchers reach milestone in solid state batteries

In a world in which electricity is predominantly obtained from sustainable sources, we also need sufficient batteries to store the energy obtained. Because especially when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing, electricity still has to flow from the socket. But we would also be lost in traffic if there weren’t any compact battery cells.

Nevertheless, batteries are still relatively expensive, which is one reason why electric cars usually still cannot keep up with the purchase price of a gasoline vehicle. Solid state batteries could solve many problems in the long term, but so far no company has managed to make the technology suitable for everyday use.

Some automakers have already made big announcements and promised vehicles with solid state batteries, but nothing has happened to this day. A new solution found by scientists from the University of Science and Technology in China could soon change that. They developed a material called lithium zirconium chloride, which is to be used as an electrolyte in batteries.

This should have similar properties to common electrolytes and at the same time be significantly cheaper. Up to now, electrolytes for solid state batteries have cost around $ 23.05 per square meter, while the new solution costs just 1.38 euros. At the same time, zirconium is an element that is abundant in the earth’s crust, so production could be cost-effectively scaled.

Before the new electrolyte is ready for the market, the researchers want to improve the stability of the solution and then bring the first battery models onto the market. If the concept is successful, it should be a game changer in battery production.

Own opinion:

We urgently need scalable solutions to meet the need for batteries over the next few decades. The new solution from China seems promising at first glance, now it is up to the researchers: inside, whether their product is ready for the market or whether it ends up in a drawer forever.

Via Electrek