Decrease Size Increase Size Print

Already a Chemical Engineering gold or platinum member? You must be logged in to view this page. LOGIN Forgot your username/password? Log In Not yet a member? Register for Membership Access Contact Sarah Garwood, Audience Development Director, for site license, single and group subscription questions.

A new prototype lithium battery with a very thin metal anode achieves an energy density of 1,200 W-h/L at room temperature — double that of conventional Li-ion batteries using graphite anodes. The prototype battery, developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technologys (MIT; Cambridge, Mass.; www.mit.edu) spin-off SolidEnergy (Waltham, Mass.; www.solidenergysystems.com), uses a standard lithium-cobalt oxide (LCO) cathode with an ultrathin, two-layer, lithium-on-copper anode that allows larger energy density. SolidEnergy has developed a specialized electrolyte that allows the system to work. “The key know-how is really in the electrolyte,” says Qichao Hu, “because conventional electrolytes do not work with this kind of battery system.” SolidEnergy’s electrolyte has two parts: a liquid around the cathode and a solid polymer composite electrolyte on the anode of the battery. To make it work at room temperature, SolidEnergy developed a proprietary mixture of ionic liquids, a new salt species and other new materials with high conductivity and efficiency. SolidEnergy partnered with fellow MIT product A123 Venture Technologies (Waltham, Mass.; www.a123systems.com) to fabricate the prototype. Going forward, SolidEnergy will focus…