Samsung SDI enhances next-generation battery safety

A South Korea-U.S. research team led by Samsung SDI has developed a technology that extends the lifespan and enhances the safety of lithium metal batteries, widely seen as next-generation energy storage devices.

Samsung SDI said Monday that, through an industry-academia partnership with Columbia University, it created a new electrolyte composition that can be applied to lithium metal batteries. Lithium metal batteries offer an energy density about 1.6 times higher than conventional nickel-cobalt-manganese, or NCM, batteries. Because they can store large amounts of energy in a compact space, they are considered a key technology for wearable devices and other small electronics. Their lifespan, however, has been significantly limited, as performance deteriorates after repeated charging and discharging cycles, restricting commercialization.

The Samsung SDI-Columbia University team said it successfully curbed dendrite formation, a key cause of lithium metal battery degradation, by using a gel polymer electrolyte. Dendrites are sharp, spike-like structures that form when some lithium ions fail to transfer properly between the cathode and anode during charging or operation and instead accumulate. As they build up, dendrites can damage the battery’s separator, increasing the risk of fire and shortening battery life.

To tackle this problem, the team introduced a gel-type polymer electrolyte. Compared with conventional liquid electrolytes, the denser gel physically limits dendrite growth while reducing the risk of fire. The findings were published in the latest issue of Joule, a leading energy research journal.

Joo Yong-rak, executive vice president and head of Samsung SDI’s research center, said the study is significant because it provides academic validation for a technology that improves the safety of lithium metal batteries. Yuan Yang, a professor at Columbia University, said the research moves the commercialization of next-generation batteries one step closer.


박종민 blick@donga.com