Looking toward improved batteries for charging electric cars
and storing energy from renewable but intermittent solar and wind, scientists
at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed the first high-performance,
nanostructured solid electrolyte for more energy-dense lithium ion batteries.
Today's lithium-ion batteries rely on a liquid electrolyte,
the material that conducts ions between the negatively charged anode and
positive cathode. But liquid electrolytes often entail safety issues because of
their flammability, especially as researchers try to pack more energy in a
smaller battery volume. Building batteries with a solid electrolyte, as ORNL
researchers have demonstrated, could overcome these safety concerns and size
constraints.