Samsung SDI announced on February 23 that it has successfully developed a technology capable of simultaneously improving the lifespan and safety of lithium-metal batteries, widely regarded as a next-generation battery, through an industry-academic collaboration with Columbia University.
Lithium-metal batteries replace conventional graphite or silicon anodes with lithium metal, offering an energy density up to 1.6 times higher than that of traditional nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) batteries, as well as more than double the durability. However, their commercial application has been limited due to the low number of charge-discharge cycles, often only in the tens.
The joint research addresses this critical limitation by significantly extending the battery’s operational lifespan while maintaining its high energy density.
The Samsung SDI and Columbia University research team applied a gel polymer electrolyte to enhance both the lifespan and safety of lithium-metal batteries. Using a fluorine-based gel polymer electrolyte, the researchers effectively suppressed dendrite formation—crystalline structures that accumulate on the anode during charging and have traditionally hindered battery performance.
The findings were published in the latest issue of Joule, a leading journal in the energy research field. Co-authors of the study include Samsung SDI Research Center Vice President Lee Seung-woo, engineers Woo Hyun-sik and Kim Yong-seok from Samsung SDI’s U.S. research center, and Professor Yuan Yang of Columbia University.
Samsung SDI stated, “This research is significant as it academically validates a technology that addresses the long-standing safety concerns of lithium-metal batteries. Leveraging our domestic and international research network, we aim to accelerate the development of next-generation battery technologies.”
Professor Yuan Yang added, “This achievement brings us one step closer to the commercialization of next-generation batteries.”
