Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have announced a new dendrite-resistant lithium-metal EV battery that offers 33% more driving range than conventional lithium-ion batteries on a single charge. Along with increasing the range of EVs from 600 km to 800 km, the breakthrough design also boasts a 12-minute rapid charging time and a lifespan of over 300,000 km.
In a press release announcing the newly designed lithium-metal EV battery, the researchers from the organization’s Frontier Research Laboratory (FRL) note that the collaborative project, which lasted over four years, “ushered in a new era for electric vehicle (EV) battery technology” by conquering the problem of dendrite creation in lithium-metal batteries.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries like those used in current EVs, the electrical anode in a lithium–metal battery is made from metal instead of graphite. While this design is known to increase energy storage, and therefore EV range, the technology has faced a critical limitation: when lithium-metal batteries are recharged, they grow small, tree-like structures on the anode called dendrites.
The accumulation of lithium crystal dendrites on battery anodes reduces their performance and can lead to short circuits that damage the battery permanently. The team notes that this accumulation is even more pronounced during rapid charging, making it “very difficult” to charge this type of battery in rapid-charging conditions.
According to their statement, “the fundamental cause of dendrite formation during rapid charging of lithium metal is due to non-uniform interfacial cohesion on the surface of the lithium metal.” To combat the growth of anode dendrites, the FRL team, a joint project between Professor Hee Tak Kim from the KAIST Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and LG Energy Solution, investigated the cause of the phenomenon.
According to Professor Kim, the team sought to alter the internal battery dynamics by developing a “cohesion-inhibiting new liquid electrolyte” designed to prevent dendrite formation. Unlike the electrolyte used in conventional lithium-metal batteries, the team used an electrolyte with an anion structure. The team notes that this material boasts a “weak binding affinity” to lithium ions within the fluid, “minimizing the non-uniformity of the lithium interface.”
Tests of the new material showed it was effective at suppressing dendrite growth on the metal anode. The team said this dendrite-suppression effect remained intact “even during rapid charging.” They also note that the new design overcomes the slow charging speed, “which was a major limitation of existing lithium-metal batteries,” while also maintaining “high energy density.”
Professor Kim said the team’s four-year research effort to extend the range and enable fast charging of lithium-metal batteries “has become a key foundation for overcoming the technical challenges of lithium-metal batteries by understanding the interfacial structure.”
“This research…has overcome the biggest barrier to the introduction of lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles,” Kim adds.
Je-Young Kim, CTO of LG Energy Solution, agreed, noting that the four-year collaboration produced “meaningful results.” The researcher also said they will continue to strengthen our industry-academia collaborations like this successful effort “to solve technical challenges and create the best results in the field of next-generation batteries.”
The study “Covariance of interphasic properties and fast chargeability of energy-dense lithium metal batteries” was published in Nature Energy.
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.