APPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY:

• Battery manufacturing: any device with solid state electrolytes
• Electric vehicles

BENEFITS:

• Improved performance (lower overpotential) 
• Greater reliability (higher critical current density)

BACKGROUND:

Increasing the critical current density for long cycling of solid-state batteries is a goal for battery manufacturers. Typically, solid-state batteries are manufactured with a flat electrolyte, then a roughened surface layer or thick porous electrode may be added by deposition and sintering of additional particles. This is advantageous because it increases the surface area between the electrode and electrolyte, decreasing the interfacial impedance (resistance to alternating current) and increasing the critical current density. However, this process adds complexity and costs.

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW: 

Researchers at Berkeley Lab have developed an effective method to introduce a textured surface structure on solid state electrolytes. In this method, a mold is pressed onto the surface of the electrolyte while the electrolyte is in the green state and therefore malleable. The texture is imparted on the electrolyte and remains after sintering, and this method can be applied to any solid state electrolyte, including oxides, halides, and sulfides. This increases the contact area between the electrolyte and electrodes, allowing for higher operating current density (greater reliability) and lower overpotential (better performance).

DEVELOPMENT STAGE: Component and/or system validation in laboratory environment

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Michael Tucker

IP Status: Patent pending

Additional information:

ACS Energy Lett. 2024, 9, 6, 2867–2875. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.4c00800

Related Technologies:

2020-061, 2019-177-02, 2020-117, 2020-105; 2022-130, 2023-092

OPPORTUNITIES: 

Available for licensing or collaborative research