Solid-state batteries are an important technical route for the development of the lithium battery industry, and the industrial chain includes various raw materials in the upstream, key materials and manufacturing links such as positive and negative electrodes and solid-state electrolytes in the midstream, and application scenarios in various fields such as consumption, power and energy storage in the downstream.
At the heart of solid-state battery technology is a solid-state electrolyte, which can act as both a separator for the battery and an electrolyte for the battery.
The core role of the electrolyte is to transport Li+ between the positive and negative electrodes, and the ideal solid-state electrolyte needs to meet the characteristics of high ionic conductivity, low interfacial impedance, stable structure, high safety and low price.
According to the different solid-state electrolytes, the current solid-state batteries are mainly divided into three technical routes: polymers, oxides, and sulfides.
Among them, polymer electrolytes belong to organic electrolytes, and oxide electrolytes and sulfide electrolytes belong to inorganic electrolytes.
The main advantages of polymers are high flexibility and processability, and the possibility of low-cost large-scale production, which is the first to achieve commercial application, but the low conductivity at room temperature limits its development space. Polymer solid-state electrolytes for solid-state batteries for applications such as wearables; The oxide conductivity is moderate and stable, so it is favored by domestic enterprises.
Sulfide solid-state electrolytes have the highest conductivity and better ductility, and are considered to be the most promising solid-state electrolytes and are expected to be the ultimate route for all-solid-state batteries.
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Solid-state battery technology roadmap:
Overview of the sulfide electrolyte industry
Sulfide electrolytes have attracted much attention in recent years because of their room-temperature conductivity close to that of liquid electrolytes, moderate hardness and excellent interfacial physical contact. At present, there are three main types of sulfide electrolytes in mainstream research: glass-ceramic electrolytes, lithium thioate fast-ion conductors, and sulfur-silver-germanium ore types.
However, sulfide electrolytes also have some problems, they do not perform well in terms of chemical stability and environmental stability, and once they encounter water, they are prone to react and produce toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. This also increases the difficulty of development and places extremely high demands on the production environment, which also leads to high production costs. In addition, the high price of lithium sulfide precursors also restricts the possibility of commercialization in the short term.
Development history of sulfide electrolytes:
Sulfide electrolyte industry pattern
From the perspective of the global sulfide electrolyte industry layout, Japan started early in the research and development of sulfide electrolyte technology, and Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Panasonic have taken sulfide solid-state batteries as the focus of research and development. South Korea has a more comprehensive R&D strategy, not only focusing on the research of sulfide technology, but also accumulating and exploring oxide and polymer systems.
Most enterprises in the mainland have chosen the oxide technology route, and the representative manufacturers Zhongweilan New Energy, Qingtao Energy, Ganfeng Lithium, Huineng Technology, Lishen Battery, including Shandong Jinqihang, etc., have invested a lot of research and development in solid-liquid mixing technology based on oxide materials. However, the mainland has also laid out the sulfide technology route, and manufacturers represented by Enli Power, Zhongke Guneng and High Energy Times are mainly attacking this route.
At the policy level, the mainland government has given strong support to the development of solid-state batteries in recent years. According to a recent report by China Daily, China is expected to invest about 6 billion yuan to promote the research and development of all-solid-state batteries, and six leading companies, including CATL, BYD, FAW, SAIC, WEILAN and Geely, are expected to receive basic R&D funding from the government. The project is led by relevant government departments, and after strict screening, it is subdivided into seven major projects, covering the technical routes of sulfides and polymers.
On the whole, leading domestic manufacturers such as CATL, Qingtao Energy, Weilan New Energy, Ganfeng Lithium and Guoxuan Hi-Tech have taken the lead in making progress in the industrialization of semi-solid-state batteries. Manufacturers such as CATL, Sunwoda and Gotion Hi-Tech have also disclosed their mass production schedules for all-solid-state batteries, and solid-state battery technology is expected to enter a new stage of large-scale commercialization. #固态电池##锂电池##新能源车##财经##科技#
epilogue
Overall, solid-state batteries offer multiple advantages such as high energy density, reliable safety performance, and a wide operating temperature range. In the future, the development direction of solid-state batteries will focus on reducing the synthesis cost and further improving their performance through multi-element doping strategies. In terms of electrolytes, the development path of solid-state batteries is expected to gradually transition from liquid electrolytes to solid-liquid hybrid electrolytes, and finally to all-solid-state electrolytes.
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