{"id":9637,"date":"2015-02-03T08:33:30","date_gmt":"2015-02-03T15:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=9637"},"modified":"2015-02-03T08:33:30","modified_gmt":"2015-02-03T15:33:30","slug":"magnificent-seven-ride","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/magnificent-seven-ride\/","title":{"rendered":"The Magnificent Seven Ride Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

SolidEnergy is an MIT spin-off with a lithium battery that\u2019s been touted by <\/span>R&D Magazine<\/i><\/a> as \u201cpotentially\u2026the biggest breakthrough in battery technology since Sony introduced the first Li-ion battery in 1991.\u201d\u00a0 Unlike other manufacturers with indefinite product dates, SolidEnergy says it will release a 2 Amp-hour smartphone and wearable battery in 2016 and a 20 Ah electric vehicle battery in 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

SolidEnergy claims their Solid Polymer Ionic Liquid (SPIL) electrolyte enables creation of an \u201cultra-thin lithium metal anode, and improves the cell-level energy density by 50 percent compared to graphite anodes and 30 percent compared to silicon-composite anodes.\u201d\u00a0 The electrolyte adds non-flammability and non-volatility, operating safely at temperatures up to 300\u00b0 C.<\/span><\/p>\n

We reported on this company last year when Dr. \u00a0Qichao Hu<\/a>, CEO and Chief Technology Officer of SolidEnergy, spoke at the eighth Electric Aircraft Symposium in Santa Rosa, California.<\/p>\n

Dr. Hu led a team of six associates in developing SolidEnergy Systems’ Solid Polymer Ionic Liquid (SPiL) rechargeable lithium battery.\u00a0 \u00a0Sometimes referred to as the Magnificent Seven, their plans carried to fruition will be magnificent indeed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Solid<\/a>

Solid Energy Team, otherwise known as “The Magnificent Seven.” \u00a0Front row (left to right): Ke Zhang, Jaehee Hwang, Chaojun Shi. \u00a0Back row (l-r): Qichao Hu, Arun Tiru, Yury Matulevitch and Xiaboo Li<\/p><\/div>\n

Front row (l-r): Ke Zhang, Jaehee Hwang, Chaojun Shi. Back row (l-r): Qichao Hu, Arun Tiru, Yury Matulevitch and Xiaboo Li.<\/p>\n

One of their features involves manufacturing: <\/b>the best battery in the world means very little if it can\u2019t be made in quantity.\u00a0 SolidEnergy\u2019s cells c<\/b>an be made in existing Li-ion facilities.\u00a0 Because of that, the process can leverage a mature infrastructure.\u00a0 A123 Venture Technologies has partnered with SolidEnergy to facilitate that.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oxNAJuFUmSY<\/p>\n

The battery\u2019s makeup is instructive, as explained in Green Car Congress\u2019s<\/em> write-up<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe SolidEnergy prototypes combine a cathode (SPIL can work with a range of cathode materials); the novel electrolyte; and a solid-polymer-coated lithium metal anode. The electrolyte combines ionic liquid and liquid polymer to provide both the safety and wide temperature capability required for advanced batteries, while the solid-polymer-coated lithium anode boosts energy density and cycle life. In addition, Lithium dendrite- suppressing additives boost safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

A \u201csolid graft copolymer electrolyte (GCE) combined with a lithium salt becomes a solid electrolyte, looking and feeling like a \u201crubbery solid but still possessing high ionic conductivity: a block copolymer electrolyte (BCE).\u201d\u00a0 A solid polymer coating \u201cwith dendrite-suppressing additives\u201d surrounding the anode (essentially the pouch case) prevents the growth of spikes that would otherwise penetrate the anode and cause short circuits.<\/p>\n

Moving from prototyping to full manufacturing puts the group in a competitive position with other advanced battery makers such as Sakti3 and rewrites the normal ending to these stories.\u00a0 Instead of the usual \u201cCommercial production is expected in five to ten years,\u201d we can look forward to seeing these batteries in consumer products next year, and in our electric and hybrid cars in two.\u00a0 The future grows closer.<\/p>\n