The battery could extend the maximum single charge driving distance of an EV to 300 kilometers, and double the battery life of smartphones while at the same time halving the weight. (image: KobizMedia/ Korea Bizwire)
GWANGJU, Jan. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – A joint team of researchers from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology and MIT have developed a lithium-ion battery with double the existing battery life and quadruple the capacity of typical existing products.
According to the team, once commercialized, the battery could extend the maximum single charge driving distance of an EV to 300 kilometers, and double the battery life of smartphones while at the same time halving the weight.
Conventional li-ion batteries have relatively small energy storage capacity, limiting the ability of automakers to extend the electrical power storage capacity of EVs. Although adding more batteries can be an option, doing so increases the weight of the vehicle, thus sacrificing its mileage, the team said.
In its study, the team used silicon as an cathode and sulfur as an anode to boost the battery’s performance. Storage capacity was improved from the 100 to 150 mAh/g typical of commercial li-ion batteries to 500mAh/g, while more than doubling energy density.
“Once the battery is commercialized, we will be able to dramatically increase the single charge mileage of EVs, which currently stands at about 150 kilometers,” said materials engineering professor Eom Kwang-sup, who took part in the research.
“We believe that commercialization is possible with further research into the battery’s stability.”
The full research findings were published in January’s edition of Nature Communications.
By Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
