SOLID STATE BATTERY

Solid state battery is a type of battery that uses a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyte.

There are several types of solid state battery and they are; ceramic, sulfide-based, polymer, glass and hybrid solid state battery.

Ceramic solid state battery uses a ceramic solid electrolyte such as lithium lanthanum zirconate (LLZO).

Sulfide based solid state battery use a sulfide based solid electrolyte such as Toyota solid state battery.

Polymer solid state battery uses a polymer solid electrolyte such as Polyplus solid state battery.

Glass solid state battery uses a glass solid electrolyte such as Oxis and Llika solid state battery.

Hybrid solid state battery uses a combination of ceramic, sulfide and polymer solid electrolyte such as 2M and Sion power solid state battery.

Solid state batteries operate at a voltage range of 3.0-4.2V with a nominal voltage of 3.6-3.7V. Solid state batteries have a high capacity typically ranging from 1-10Ah with energy densities of 100-500Wh/kg. Solid state batteries have a long cycle life typically ranging from 500-2000cycles with capacity retention of 80%-90% after 1000cycles.

The components of a solid state battery are as follows; cathode, anode, solid electrolyte, separator, current collectors and cell casing.

The cathode is typically made of a lithium metal oxide such as lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) or lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo4).

The anode is typically made of a lithium metal or a lithium alloy.

The solid electrolyte is a solid material that conducts ions such as lithium ions, between the cathode and anode. Common solid electrolytes includes lithium phosphorous oxynitride (LiPoN), lithium lanthanum zirconate (LLZO), sulfide based solid electrolytes etc.

The separator is not needed in a solid state battery as the solid electrolyte serves as a separator.

The current collectors are thin layers of metal typically aluminum or copper that collects electrons from the cathode and anode.

The cell casing is a metal or plastic container that houses the battery internal components.

The advantages of solid state batteries are as follows; solid state batteries are less prone to thermal runaway and fires making them safer than traditional lithium ion batteries. Solid state batteries can have higher energy densities than traditional lithium ion batteries making them more suitable for applications where space is limited. Solid state batteries can charge faster than traditional lithium ion batteries making them more suitable for applications where fast charging is required. Solid state batteries can have longer cycle life than traditional lithium ion batteries making them more suitable for applications where long battery life is required.

The disadvantages of solid state battery are as follows; solid state batteries are currently more expensive than traditional lithium ion batteries making them less competitive in the market. Solid state batteries can have lower power densities than traditional lithium ion batteries making them less suitable for applications where high power is required. Solid state batteries are still in the early stages of development and scaling up production is a significant challenge.

The application of solid state battery is widespread particularly in the following industries; solid state battery find applications in electric vehicles where they are used for power because of their high energy densities and fast charging capabilities. Solid state batteries are being developed for use in consumer electronics such as smart phones, laptops etc. where their high energy density and long cycle life can improve battery life. Solid state batteries are being developed for renewable energy systems such as solar, wind etc. where their high energy density and long life can improve energy storage.

The future of solid state battery is based on the advances and development of the following technologies; solid state batteries are expected to become widely adopted in the coming years particularly in applications where their advantages are most pronounced. Solid state batteries are expected to continue to improve in terms of performance, with higher energy densities, faster charging and longer cycle life, the cost of solid state batteries is expected to decrease as production scales up and technology improves making them more competitive with traditional lithium ion batteries.

 

SOURCES:

• Solid state batteries: from material research to design and applications edited by Chunwen sun, Siqi Shi and Yongjie Zhao.
• Polymer-based solid state batteries by Daniel Brandell, Jonas Mundemark and Guiomar Hernandez.
• Solid state btteries edited by C.A.C Sequeira and A. Hooper.
• Solid electrolytes by P. Hagenmuller and W. Van Gool.
• Lithium ion batteries: Solid state chemistry and electrochemistry by M.S, Whittingham.