Battery experts based at Georgia Tech have developed what they describe in a lab summary as a long-sought-after cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, the pack type that powers most of our electric vehicles and grid-level storage for renewable energy.
"For a long time, people have been looking for a lower-cost, more sustainable alternative to existing cathode materials. I think we've got one," GT associate professor Hailong Chen said in a news release.
GT reported that lithium-ion batteries were commercialized in the 1990s by tech giant Sony. Substantial research in labs around the world is now focused on lowering the cost of the expensive metals needed to make the chemistry work.
The electrode materials are of particular interest, as nickel, cobalt, and graphite are often dependent on sometimes problematic foreign supply chains. As batteries charge and discharge, ions move between the anode and cathode in a substance called electrolyte.
The GT cathode is made from iron chloride, which costs 1-2% of the price for more expensive metals. Importantly, the cheaper material doesn't negatively impact storage, performance, or lifespan, per the lab report.
"Our cathode can be a game-changer," Chen said.
The GT report noted that batteries can account for up to 50% of an EV's cost. That's why lower battery prices are of particular importance to potential EV buyers in a growing market. Nearly one-fifth of vehicles sold in 2023 were battery-powered, according to the International Energy Agency. In the U.S., valuable tax incentives of up to $7,500 add to the approximately $1,500 EV drivers can save annually in gas and maintenance costs.
Since the packs typically last up to 20 years, per U.S. News & World Report, those savings can be stacked up for years. What's more, the longevity creates significant reductions in heat-trapping air pollution, linked by NASA to greater risks for severe weather.
GT's new electrode stands to improve those perks on all fronts, if it can be successfully commercialized.
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"This could not only make EVs much cheaper than internal combustion cars, but it provides a new and promising form of large-scale energy storage, enhancing the resilience of the electrical grid," Chen said. "In addition, our cathode would greatly improve the sustainability and supply chain stability of the EV market."
Other innovations being developed include some unlikely substances. Texas' Group1 has invented what it calls the world's first potassium battery. Experts in labs elsewhere are perfecting salt-based chemistry, among other innovations that use abundant ingredients.
Chen said that GT's vision is for his team's cathode to eventually be part of a solid-state battery, which uses a solid electrolyte. Most batteries currently use liquid substances. GT's summary and other published reports noted that the hard version is generally safer, lighter, and charges faster. Manufacturing costs are a hurdle for now, per TopSpeed.
But combined with the FeCl3 cathode and a lithium metal anode, a solid-state battery would cost 30-40% of the price of traditional lithium-ion packs. The goal is to reach "commercial viability" for the electrode within five years, per the news release.
"It would greatly improve the EV market — and the whole lithium-ion battery market," Chen said.
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