Samsung unveils new solid-state battery tech

Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology said Tuesday unveiled its study on longer-lasting all-solid-state battery technology for the first time in Nature Energy, one of the world’s leading scientific journals.

All-solid-state batteries, utilizing solid electrolytes, support greater energy density allowing larger capacities, and are safer than current lithium-ion batteries using liquid electrolytes, according to the research arm of Samsung Electronics.

The team focused on overcoming the dendrites problem -- needle-like crystals that can develop on the anode of a battery during charging and reduce battery’s lifespan and safety -- found in all-solid-state batteries. 

The team, for the first time, incorporated a silver-carbon composite layer as the anode into a prototype pouch, enabling the battery to support a larger capacity and longer lifespan while enhancing safety.

The prototype pouch cell is expected to enable an electric vehicle to travel up to 800 kilometers on a single charge and feature a cycle life of over 1,000 charges, according to the institute.

“The latest research involves a core technology to innovatively expand electric vehicles’ driving distances,” said Im Dong-min, master at SAIT’s next-generation battery lab.

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)