Completed Clean Energy Materials & Manufacturing

Developing commercially viable Quasi-Solid-State Li-S batteries for the Automotive market

In plain English

AI plain-English summary

Lithium-sulfur batteries that can be recharged hundreds of times without losing performance are being turned into a practical, solid-like format for electric vehicles. Today’s lithium-ion batteries are heavy, expensive, and rely on materials with problematic supply chains. Lithium-sulfur batteries promise higher energy storage per kilogram and use cheaper, more abundant sulfur. But they degrade too quickly to be commercially viable. This project aims to solve that by developing a quasi-solid-state version—a hybrid between a liquid and a solid electrolyte—that protects the battery from the chemical reactions that shorten its life. The consortium of UK industrial and academic partners will design new electrodes, separators, and cell architectures. Their target is a prototype pouch cell that stores over 500 watt-hours per kilogram and 600 watt-hours per litre, operates across a wide temperature range, and lasts long enough for automotive use. If successful, the technology could reduce the weight and cost of EV batteries, extend vehicle range, and help the UK meet its 2050 net-zero emissions target by enabling cleaner transport without relying on scarce raw materials.

View original technical description
Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are a promising energy storage technology for application where high performance, lightweight batteries are needed, such as in certain aerospace and electrical vehicle (EV) applications. This project focuses on the development of Quasi-Solid-State Li-S batteries that have the potential to significantly enhance the number of times Li-S batteries can be cycled before they reach end of life, the energy they can store per unit volume and the temperature range over which they can operate. This project will combine the expertise of a consortium of leading UK Industrial and Academic partners to accelerate the development, scale-up and commercialisation of Li-S batteries within the aerospace and EV markets, enabling potentially significant economic benefits to the UK and contributing to reaching the National net zero carbon emission target set for 2050\. The Project Team will develop suitable electrodes, separators, electrolytes, and cell design for a Quasi-Solid-State Li-S format. The final deliverable will be the demonstration and evaluation of a Li-S pouch cell prototype with combined high volumetric energy density (above 600 Wh/L), high gravimetric energy (above 500 Wh/kg), long cycle life, high safety, and a broad operating/storage temperature window suitable for the EV market.

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Related Research

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Original classification

Collaborative R&D

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