Cobalt has always been expensive and the supply chain is fragile. The US Department of Energy launched a research project three years ago to develop lithium-ion batteries that do not require cobalt, thereby accelerating new energy while reducing battery costs. The development of automotive technology lays the foundation for the creation of electric vehicles and industrial energy storage systems with lower prices and longer battery life.
Materials scientist Gerd Ceder is the director of research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and is currently working on a 'disordered rock salt' as the cathode for rechargeable batteries.
In general, the cathode of a lithium-ion battery needs cobalt to maintain a layered structure for lithium ions to pass smoothly. But many years ago, Professor Ceder and colleagues discovered a new type of material that can store more lithium ions, which is expected to be completely Improve the energy density of lithium batteries without using cobalt.
In an interview with the MIT Technology Review, Professor Ceder discussed the challenges of new battery materials, the advantages of lithium batteries, and why battery technology always seems to be stagnant.
Figure 丨 Professor Gerd Ceder
MIT Technology Review: What is the next step for your new composite R&D project?
Gerd Ceder: We introduced this concept four years ago. Now that we have found a lot of compounds with ideal properties, we will select some materials for experimentation. If the new materials can solve the problems we face, then The next stage is to try commercialization.
For these materials, first they must have a good charge-discharge rate, as well as the standard cycle life of the battery. Then, we will use various means to process the material to further improve the performance of the battery.
At present, we have carried out the next stage of testing on the most potential materials. I think this is the most promising success since I started this material research.
MIT Technology Review: Why does a new material take so long from the lab to the market?
Gerd Ceder: Any commercial product will take a long time in this process, and the speed of research and development will not be able to promote the entire process, because of material optimization, testing, and consumer acceptance. Will have an impact on the listing of products.
For the battery, during this time, the material must be mass-produced, and after testing, it is sent to the battery manufacturer for a period of 2 years. So even today we found a perfect material in the laboratory. , the product also takes 6-10 years to market.
MIT Technology Review: A few years ago you said that 'Solid battery is a near-perfect battery', do you still think so?
Gerd Ceder: Solid-state batteries are still the 'perfect battery' in my heart, and I am optimistic about this. People's efforts in this area will eventually lead to the performance of solid-state battery products.
But I have to say that there are still many problems to be solved in solid-state batteries. The biggest problem with solid electrolytes is their own instability. It is precisely because of this that no one has ever achieved mass production of solid-state batteries.
But no matter what, I still think that this is one of the most promising technological developments.
MIT Technology Review: Grid power storage is a technology that has received much attention in the investment community in recent years. What are the research directions that you think are promising in this field?
Gerd Ceder: In my opinion, there are still many uncertainties in grid energy storage. In the short term, lithium batteries are still the only choice for reliability reasons.
For other technologies, I don't deny that new technologies may enter the field of electrical energy storage, but this industry giant gathers, we can't underestimate the degree of competition.
MIT Technology Review: Some experts say that lithium-ion batteries have a lower cost limit, so this does not apply to long-term storage of electrical energy. What is your opinion on this?
Gerd Ceder: Lithium-ion batteries are already very cheap. For other technologies, even if they are theoretically cheaper, they should be built first. At the same time, startups can only survive in high-value markets. The electric energy storage market does not have this feature.
To give an extreme example: If you need to store electricity for 6 months, how much are you willing to pay for it? Obviously, such a service needs to be very cheap to attract customers, otherwise it would be better to choose direct power generation. Economic practice.
Further, I am not sure if this extremely cheap solution can be achieved in the field of electrochemical storage, because chemical batteries can not solve all problems.
