Saudi Arabian scientists have achieved a major breakthrough by incorporating nylon into the design of lithium metal batteries, improving battery performance and reducing costs, according to two new studies published in ACSE Energy Letters and Energy & Environmental Science.
Lithium batteries are widely used due to their high energy density, light weight, and low carbon dioxide emissions. These advantages make it ideal for smartphones, small consumer electronics, and even space exploration technology.
There are two main types of lithium batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are one of the more common ones, powering everyday devices like laptops and smartphones. However, lithium metal batteries have higher energy density and are expected to be used in robotics, transportation and other advanced industries. Although lithium metal batteries have great promise, they still face challenges in terms of safety and longevity. The production of lithium metal batteries relies on corrosive and hazardous materials, and their operation is hampered by a plethora of parasitic reactions - unwanted side reactions that degrade performance and compromise safety.
Additives help stabilize the battery interface, thereby improving performance. Research by researchers at the Technical University of Cartagena found that nylon - the same polymer used in clothes - can be dissolved in mild lithium solutions and used as an additive in lithium metal batteries. The result is lithium metal batteries that are more efficient, last longer and exhibit fewer parasitic reactions.
So by studying the chemistry of how nylon and lithium interact, including the key molecular bonds, the study showed that this commercial fabric can be dissolved in much milder solvents than previously thought, resulting in superior battery performance.
"Polymers have always been difficult to dissolve in common battery electrolytes. We conducted in-depth studies on their chemical properties and modified the dissolution structure and interactions," explains Zhao Zhiming, a postdoctoral scientist at King Abdullah University of Science (KAUST) who authored the study.
"My research team works to build renewable energy and storage solutions, such as batteries with higher energy density and safety, to accelerate the Kingdom's decarbonization process. This discovery has the potential to make additives cheaper and safer and demonstrates the benefits of basic scientific research," said Husam Alshareef, KAUST Professor and Chairman of KAUST's Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies (CREST), who led both studies.
Compiled from /ScitechDaily