Solid electrolyte makes lithium-ion batteries safer
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Today’s lithiumion batteries rely on a liquid electrolyte that is flammable and prone to fires, more so as scientists try to pack more energy into small packages. To overcome these safety issues, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a solid electrolyte out of lithium triphosphate. Those researchers used a roomtemperature, solutionbased reaction to nanostructure the material. The structuring reordered the material’s crystals, letting it conduct ions 1,000 time faster than the original material. The material is also compatible with a pure lithium metal anode, which could lead to batteries five to 10 times more powerful than current lithium batteries. And the new material charges and discharges in a stable manner, reducing the chance of fires.