New Ultra-Thin Strip Could Dramatically Improve Lithium Battery Performance

A Panasonic Corp.'s lithium-ion battery, which is part of Tesla Motor Inc.'s Model S and Model X battery packs, is pictured with Tesla Motors logo at the Panasonic Center in Tokyo on Nov. 19, 2013. Yuya Shino/Reuters

Researchers have added a special zinc additive to thin lithium metal strips to boost the performance of lithium batteries.

A growing demand for high-performance lithium-ion batteries inspired the researchers to probe into developing the new batteries.

A team at the Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation (ANSTO) were able to achieve a cycle lifetime of 2,800 hours per cycle with zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP).

A cycle of 2,800 hours equates to more than 116 days, which is a lot given a typical lithium-ion battery survives 300 to 500 charge cycles.

Thin free-standing lithium strips for lithium-ion batteries were shown to have better cycling stability and electrochemical properties.

The research group was headed by a team from Central South University in China, who used the Australian Synchrotron for the research.

The team published their paper in the prestigious Nature Communications on Sept. 14.

As part of the study, the scientists added the zinc additive to lithium metal strips between 5 to 50 micrometres wide.

The lithium strips with this additive, demonstrated superior electrochemical performance, cycling stability and mechanical strength.

Instrument scientist Bernt Johannessen used an X-ray absorption spectroscopy beamline to measure lithium anodes.

“We owe our user community a debt of gratitude; they are being wonderfully productive and taking full advantage of recent developments, such as fast scanning techniques, at the beamline,” he said.

Mr. Johannessen expressed the results were an example of “innovative work in the development of ultra-thin lithium, only microns thick that is manufactured for solid-state batteries.”

Spate of Lithium Battery Fires

The new research comes amid a spate of lithium battery fires in Australia, prompting warnings from insurance and finance group Suncorp and fire authorities.

Lithium-ion battery powered e-scooters and e-bikes have been especially singled out for concern.

“Most modern devices like laptops, mobile phones, power tools, e-cigarettes, and electric vehicles have rechargeable lithium-ion batteries containing highly flammable electrolytes, but a surge in popularity of items like e-scooters and e-bikes and a link to housefires in recent years is concerning,” Suncorp executive general manager for home claims Alli Smith said.

“These batteries, if used, charged, stored or disposed of incorrectly, could be prone to intense, difficult-to-extinguish fires when damaged or overheated and pose a significant risk in the home.”

An electric scooter with a battery sits parked outside of a Bronx supermarket the day after a five-alarm fire tore through a market that fire officials are blaming on a faulty lithium-ion battery in New York City on March 6, 2023. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have attended to 61 fires involving lithium batteries this financial year.

Fire and Rescue New South Wales (NSW) has reported 185 lithium battery related fires in the year to date up to Dec. 8.

Jeremy Fewtrell, who is the Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner, warned if a battery is compromised through damage or overheating, it can go into “thermal runaway.”

“It will pop and crackle, then give off toxic gas before exploding in intense flames that are extremely difficult to extinguish,” he said.

“If you’re buying presents that require lithium-ion batteries this Christmas, make sure those batteries are manufactured by a trusted company.”