Researchers from South Korea have developed a breakthrough in battery technology that could dramatically extend the lifespan of electric vehicles, smartphones, and other electronic devices.
The innovative design, called the Interlocking Electrode–Electrolyte (IEE) system, was created by a team from POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) and Sogang University.
Their findings were recently published in the journal Advanced Science.
Today’s lithium-ion batteries, which power most of our electronics, typically use graphite as the main material in their anodes.
While graphite is stable and reliable, it falls short in energy storage capacity. Silicon, on the other hand, can store nearly ten times more energy than graphite, making it an ideal choice for next-generation batteries.
However, silicon has a significant flaw: it expands up to three times its size during charging and contracts back when discharging. This constant expansion and contraction create gaps between the electrode and the electrolyte, causing the battery to wear out quickly.
To address this problem, scientists have been experimenting with replacing traditional liquid electrolytes with solid or quasi-solid-state electrolytes (QSSEs), which are more stable and safer.
Yet, these alternatives still struggle to keep full contact with the silicon as it expands and contracts, leading to cracks and performance loss over time.
The South Korean research team tackled this challenge with their new IEE system. Unlike traditional designs where the electrode and electrolyte merely touch, the IEE system forms strong chemical bonds between them.
This connection is like mortar that binds bricks together, ensuring they stay locked in place even under intense mechanical stress. This innovation prevents the electrode from separating from the electrolyte, preserving the battery’s capacity and extending its life span.
Tests showed that the IEE-based batteries maintained their performance over many charge-discharge cycles, while conventional designs quickly lost capacity.
Even more impressive, the IEE-based pouch cells demonstrated an energy density of 403.7 Wh/kg and 1,300 Wh/L, significantly higher than typical commercial lithium-ion batteries. This improvement translates to longer-lasting smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles that can travel further on a single charge.
Professor Soojin Park of POSTECH, who co-led the study, stated that this breakthrough marks a new direction for high-energy, long-lasting energy storage systems.
Professor Jaegeon Ryu of Sogang University added that the IEE strategy could accelerate the commercialization of silicon-based batteries by solving the long-standing issue of unstable interfaces.
The new technology brings the dream of longer-lasting, more efficient batteries one step closer to reality, promising better performance and greater convenience for consumers worldwide.
