Transforming EV Battery Materials into Reserve Batteries via Advanced Manufacturing

The expanding electric vehicle (EV) market fuels research into advanced battery materials, particularly solid-state electrolytes (SSEs), to enhance energy storage technology, offering the promise of higher energy density, improved safety, and cost-efficiency. These materials show potential for deployment in reserve or primary batteries, addressing issues found in current technologies such as self-discharge, inadequate energy density, limited operational temperature ranges, and safety concerns associated with flammable liquid electrolytes. Our investigation centers on argyrodite-type sulfide-based SSEs, boasting exceptional Li⁺conductivity (&gt;1 mS/cm) at room temperature, lithium metal anodes with substantial energy capacity (theoretical limit: 3860 mAh/g)¹, and cathode active materials (CAMs) meeting the criteria for reserve or primary battery applications.² This study investigates the pivotal role of advanced manufacturing techniques in addressing the challenges associated with reserve batteries, focusing on sulfide-based SSEs and lithium metal, with a positive outlook on potential solutions. We present a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art solid-state battery technology in current reserve or primary battery applications, discuss CAMs' performance in sulfide-based SSE composites in half cells, and provide detailed postmortem analyses. These insights serve as fundamental guidelines for future optimizations in advanced battery material manufacturing, transcending the scope of EV-specific applications.<br/><br/><b>Acknowledgements:</b><br/>This project was supported by Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) funding from Argonne National Laboratory, provided by the Director, Office of Science, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. This research used resources of the Center for Nanoscale Materials, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facilities operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. The views expressed in this academic research paper are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of the US government or the Department of Defense.<br/><br/><b>References:</b><br/>1. W. Xu, J. Wang, F. Ding, X. Chen, E. Nasybulin, Y. Zhang, and J. Zhang. Lithium metal anodes for rechargeable batteries. <i>Energy & Environmental Science</i>, <b>2014</b>, 7, 513.<br/>2. R. Silberglitt, J. Bartis, and K. Brady. Soldier-Portable Battery Supply. RAND Corporation, <b>2014</b>.