For a long time, solid-state batteries have been promised as a solution to meet our energy storage needs. In theory, they can have a higher storage density than existing lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries, and at the same time start more safely, they will provide huge performance improvements in a variety of applications.
For those of us who dream of an electric car with a 1,000-mile range or a 14-kilowatt electric drill, the simple fact remains that the technology is not yet fully mature. However, Murata Manufacturing has just announced that It plans to ship solid-state batteries in the fall, From the calendar, it’s only a few weeks away.
This is exciting news, and we believe you would like to know-what are they planning to ship, and how does the battery perform? Let’s dive in.
Solid state is better than lithium ion/lithium polymer
If you are not familiar with solid-state batteries, the basic idea is to build batteries using only solid materials, eliminating the liquid electrolyte used in lithium-ion batteries. It is hoped that this will allow the use of lithium metal as a negative electrode material, which is expected to provide much higher energy density than existing battery designs. The original lithium metal is not used in the current battery anode because it will grow harmful dendrites, which can quickly damage the battery. The solid-state design also brings other benefits, such as increased safety due to the elimination of flammable liquid electrolytes, so as temperature restrictions become less important, it can be charged faster to avoid blowing everything into pieces. Convincing benefits exist, but so far have proven difficult to achieve.
As for Murata, it is a company known for producing multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) and other similar devices, although they have been involved in battery technology after acquiring Sony’s battery division in 2017. The company hopes to rely on these new solid-state batteries after investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the business to make them a major competitor in the battery market.
Start small, but forever
According to Murata’s own report in 2019, Their new batteries will target wearable devices and the Internet of Things market. According to the graphics in the press release, these batteries will have a capacity between 2 and 25 mAh and an energy density in the range of 500 Wh/L. This makes the performance of the battery slightly higher than that of current lithium-ion batteries. It also far exceeds the existing solid-state design, and is currently only used for pacemakers and other ultra-low-power applications. The company’s goal is to eventually deliver 100,000 parts per month, but will slowly increase production over the next 12 months or so.
Therefore, Murata’s battery is small in size, compact in structure, and not too powerful. However, their solid-state nature brings an exciting benefit-they will be able to be soldered directly to the PCB in much the same way as any other component. In fact, solid-state batteries have many admirable benefits. Due to the elimination of liquid electrolytes, these batteries are generally non-flammable and stronger than traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Those who hope that solid-state batteries will drop this year with huge current deliveries and stratospheric energy densities may be disappointed. However, if a large solid-state battery like this is even close to being ready, then at this stage, we will have more things to do than just a simple press release. However, this is an exciting development. By using the ceramic coating technology developed through the capacitor business, combined with the experience of the battery business purchased from Sony, Murata seems to have managed to develop a viable solid-state battery that performs better than the very basic low-power design available so far, and Passing a significant margin.
Everyone wants to get a share in this emerging industry
As we have reported, even if competitors like Fisker have been eliminated, BMW has made big bets on this technology. Toyota also intends to give up, and almost all other automakers are involved in some way. The reason is simple: if solid-state batteries can deliver on their promises, electric vehicles can achieve huge performance improvements almost overnight. A battery with a higher energy density will provide a longer charging interval, while a lack of flammable liquid electrolyte will reduce the risk of overheating and may allow a faster charging time. These two repair measures will enable the electric vehicle world to deal with infrastructure problems alone, which have been well resolved in some places. This is something eye-catching.
However, to achieve all of this, a lot of research and development are needed.Of course this is in progress Electronic design Report Multiple cutting-edge projects Entered the field of solid-state batteries at the end of last year. The inherent difficulty faced by most projects lies in the partition material. The separator placed between the anode and cathode must allow lithium ions to pass freely from one side of the battery to the other, while preventing the formation of lithium dendrites that may short-circuit the battery. There are various methods and chemicals at work, and no one can guess which method and chemical method (if any) will be among the best.
There is still some basic science to be completed, and with hundreds of millions of dollars pouring into research laboratories around the world, much remains to be done.Youku anchor [Just Have a Think] already With these developments, If you want to have a deeper understanding of the development, it covers the development of Murata and the development of the automotive field.
We can’t wait for these devices to ship in large quantities, especially with the increase in density and current capacity. Lighter, more powerful, and more importantly, the emergence of more powerful batteries should herald new projects and technological waves in much the same way as lithium-ion batteries 30 years ago.
[Main image via Murata online exhibition about solid state batteries]