ABOUT THE BATTERIES

The Solid-State Lithium batteries provide energy at a higher voltage and a lower price point than any other current solid-state batteries in the market. This technology was researched and created by the Yao Research Group based in Houston, Texas which is led by Dr. Yan Yao, a professor at the University of Houston’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. The Yao Research Group has created an innovative approach to the composition of lithium batteries by creating solid-state batteries that utilize organic cathode materials at a lower cost than its competitors. The manufacturing of these solid-state lithium batteries can be scaled to work with devices and vehicles by offering the target customer with low-cost production, better durability, safety, and reliability of the battery.

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Compared to their competitors, these batteries will be low cost and sustainable in the “~10^6 metric ton quantities” needed for grid-scale applications. At the product’s core, renewable-carbon-sourced high-energy-density and low-voltage anode are combined with a new high Na+ ion solid electrolyte. Then, it is paired with a low-cost, high-voltage, and energy-dense renewable-carbon-sourced cathode. Therefore, this battery technology conceptualizes and redesigns Lithium batteries. It provides end-users with a product that overcomes issues faced by current problematic liquid batteries like the fire plagued batteries in the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Smartphones or Hyundai Kona EVs. These are high in temperature, corrosive, reactive, low in energy density, and dangerous due to no control over lithium dendrite growth on the cathode and inability to handle expansion/contraction of the cell during cycles. The lithium dendrite growth on the lithium metal anode surface is concerning at high rates. This is when the uneven surface of a lithium anode causes a nonuniform distribution of an electric field which creates an uneven electrochemical deposition rate all over the surface. This leads to short circuits in the battery. Yao Group has developed a way to reduce the lithium dendrite growth and allow the cell cycle to repeat, making it less corrosive and possibly rechargeable. This is something Yao Group is continuing to research and develop. Even semi-solid batteries like 24M Technologies's battery are surpassed by Dr. Yao's All Solid-State Battery. The semi-solid battery may increase energy density, but is still lacking when it comes to the solid-state battery's ability to increase energy density while also improving safety. This is because Yao's technology is based upon a well-disposed and scalable solid-stack design that operates reliably near room temperature, at high energy densities and is able to expand/contract without becoming corrosive or losing energy. 

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Using Yao Group’s organic cathode material allows the battery to maintain contact at the interface with the solid electrolyte, even with constant expansions/contractions. In short, the reversibility and organic cathode allow the ASSLB (All Solid-State Lithium Batteries) to reach higher energy densities without sacrificing cycle life. This discovery allows our battery to surpass others like Tesla whose batteries are unable to contract and expand without causing electrolyte fracturing.

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Sources 

https://newatlas.com/materials/mits-solid-state-battery-breakthrough/

https://www.futurebridge.com/blog/solid-state-batteries/

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/08/09/tesla-battery-guru-jeff-dahn-claims-new-lithium-ion-cell-outperforms-solid-state-batteries/

https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf;jsessionid=74B3D9943A56D96A3DE717246C8C4CC7.wapp2nB?docId=WO2017156518&tab=PCTDESCRIPTION

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