TIFRH Researchers Discover Solution to Safety Concerns of LMBsNew Method Developed for Safer and More Durable Lithium Metal Batteries. Credit: techxplore.com

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have the potential to store nearly 10 times more energy compared to the current Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), making them a promising candidate for future storage systems. However, LMBs also present safety concerns and are not suitable for fast-charging applications due to the risk of dendrite formation. These tree-like structures can cause excessive heating and battery short circuits, hindering the advancement of LMBs.

Previous attempts to address the safety concerns of LMBs have been labor-intensive and costly. But now, T. N. Narayanan's lab at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Hyderabad (TIFRH) has developed a simple, scalable, and cost-effective method to assemble a safer and more durable lithium metal battery. The research, which was published in the journal Small, offers a potential solution to improving the safety and longevity of LMBs.

In a battery, a porous separator membrane serves as a barrier between the electrodes, preventing a short circuit. However, as the battery is used, dendrites can begin to form on one of the electrodes, causing a potential short circuit. To combat this issue, graduate students Preeti Yadav and Pallavi Thakur used a readily available graphite derivative powder to modify the separator membrane. This modification effectively suppresses dendrite formation and significantly improves the battery's longevity. The researchers believe that this method can be scaled up for industrial use.

However, the battery did show some signs of deterioration at high current densities, possibly due to the electroplating of lithium on the carbon component of the graphite derivative layer. The team plans to further investigate these challenges and understand the role of interfaces in improving battery performance from a fundamental perspective.

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