Samsung's all-solid-state battery tech could help drive EVs expansion

The prototype pouch cell developed by the team is approximately 50 percent smaller by volume than a conventional lithium-ion battery and would enable an EV to travel up to 800km on a single charge and features a cycle life of over 1,000 charges.

Researchers from the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) and the Samsung R&D Institute Japan (SRJ) recently unveiled high-performance, long-lasting all-solid-state battery technology that is likely to help drive the expansion of electric vehicles (EVs).

All-solid-state batteries utilize demonstrably safer solid electrolytes and support greater energy density (up to 900Wh/) which opens the door for larger capacities as opposed to the widely used lithium-ion batteries that utilize liquid electrolytes.

In the study presented to journal Nature Energy, the researchers proposed utilizing, for the first time, a silver-carbon (Ag-C) composite layer as the anode to overcome the effects of frequently-used lithium metal anodes that are prone to trigger the growth of dendrites, needle-like crystals that can develop on the anode of a battery during charging and reduce a battery's lifespan and safety.

Commenting on the breakthrough, Dongmin Im, Master at SAIT's Next Generation Battery Lab and the leader of the project said, "the product of this study could be a seed technology for safer, high-performance batteries of the future. Going forward, we will continue to develop and refine all-solid-state battery materials and manufacturing technologies to help take EV battery innovation to the next level."

According to the team, the incorporation of the ultrathin Ag-C nanocomposite layer into a prototype pouch enables the battery to support a larger capacity, a longer cycle life and enhances its overall safety.

The prototype pouch cell developed by the team is approximately 50 percent smaller by volume than a conventional lithium-ion battery and would enable an EV to travel up to 800km on a single charge and features a cycle life of over 1,000 charges.