Researchers from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) working on the Solid-state Architecture Batteries for Enhanced Rechargeability and Safety (SABERS) project have made progress in developing an innovative battery that is lighter, more efficient and safer of its peers. industry. We are talking about a solid-state battery, which in terms of characteristics is clearly superior to its lithium-ion counterparts.
Image source: NASA
Battery performance is a key aspect in developing sustainable modes of transportation such as electric aircraft. Batteries must store a huge amount of energy needed to power the aircraft, while they must have a small mass and discharge at a certain speed.
To create such a battery, SABERS used innovative materials that had never been used in this industry before. As a result, the researchers made significant progress. In the last year they have managed to increase the battery discharge rate, first by 10 times and then by another 5 times, bringing development closer to the goal of creating a battery to power the aircraft.
The use of innovative materials has also allowed for a number of changes to the design and packaging of solid-state batteries. This helped reduce their mass and increase their capacity. Instead of placing each individual battery cell in a separate steel case, as is the case with Li-ion batteries, all SABERS battery cells can be stacked vertically within one case. Using this approach, the researchers clearly showed that solid-state batteries can power cars with 500 Wh / kg, double that of today’s electric vehicles.
“This design not only eliminates 30-40% of the mass of the battery, but also allows us to double or even triple the energy it can store, which is well beyond the capacities of lithium-ion batteries, which are considered cutting-edge. edge.”– said one of the participants in the SABERS project, Rocco Viggiano.
Safety is another key requirement for using batteries in electric aircraft. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries do not catch fire if physically damaged and can continue to function even in these conditions. SABERS researchers tested their battery at different pressures and temperatures. As a result, it has been found that it can operate at nearly double temperatures compared to lithium-ion batteries and without the need for complex cooling systems.
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