A battery with 560 Watt-hours per kilogram, a stable long life, and no fires. What’s not to like? Researchers at Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU), founded by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in cooperation with the University of Ulm, have come up with a dual anion, nickel-rich cathode, lithium-metal battery that, although in early stages of development, may point a way forward. Academic journal Joule reports, “High-energy batteries, in particular lithium batteries, are the key to achieve carbon-neutral mobility…. However, it is foreseen that a fully electrified mobility and transportation can only be achieved by the development of batteries employing lithium metal as the negative electrode (anode) while still granting long-term cycling performance and safety.” Safety may be the deciding factor here, especially in electric aircraft. Coupling the lithium metal anode with a nickel rich cathode seems to pay off for the researchers. Along with the dual anion liquid electrolytes, they’ve managed to keep things stable and performing well. Considering …
