The lifespan of lithium metal batteries has significantly extend by researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). A study publish in Advance Materials details the development of an eco-friendly protective layer, resulting in a 750% increase in the lifespan of lithium metal anodes.
As per research, water serve as the only solvent during the manufacturing process, addressing both environmental concerns and battery performance challenges.
The study was publish in the journal Advanced Materials.
Professor Il-Doo Kim from KAIST’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, alongside Professor Jiyoung Lee from Ajou University, led the research.
A protective layer using hollow nanofibres was create through an electrospinning process, relying on guar gum extracted from plants.
The approach eliminates the need for toxic materials typically use in such technologies, as per reports.
This layer functions both physically and chemically, stabilising lithium-ion growth and suppressing dendrite formation.
The hollow spaces within the fibres minimise random lithium accumulation on the metal surface.
As per reports, this innovative design maintains 93.3% capacity even after 300 charge-discharge cycles.
It has said that conventional protective coatings often involve expensive and environmentally harmful processes, with limited efficacy.
KAIST method prioritises sustainability, as the biodegradable layer decomposes completely in soil within a month.
Professor Il-Doo Kim explain that the dual-action mechanism of the protective layer allow for improve control over reversible reactions between lithium metal and electrolytes.
This, he emphasise, achieve a longer-lasting anode with reduce environmental impact.
As battery demand continues to grow, the team’s water-based, eco-conscious method is expect to contribute significantly to the development of next-generation energy storage systems.
These findings mark an important step towards reducing the ecological footprint of battery production and disposal, as per reports.
