Australian success with lithium sulfur battery

Australian company Li-S Energy has announced the development of its first 20-layer battery cells utilising its third-generation (GEN3) semi-solid state lithium sulfur technology. The cells have been produced in the company’s semi-automated Phase 2 facility in Geelong with test cell production capacity anticipated later in the year when a new Phase 3 facility is completed.

The new 20-layer cells are built using a low-flammability electrolyte, which Li-S Energy believes will make them safer than traditional lithium sulfur and lithium-ion cells that utilise a higher flammability electrolyte. Utilising Li-S’s Li-nanomesh technology, the cells also incorporate boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) into the cell construction to reduce dendrite growth to further improve safety and cycle life.

Key benefits of the GEN3 Li-S Energy battery system over the previous GEN2 lithium sulfur cells include:

• a significant improvement in volumetric energy density as a result of a lower porosity cathode material
• higher gravimetric energy density through optimised cathode material composition
• enhanced safety with the use of a low flammability electrolyte.
   

In addition to high gravimetric energy density, which delivers a lighter weight battery, the volumetric energy density (the energy stored for a given cell volume) is also considered important. It offers the potential to significantly reduce the physical size of the battery packs needed for the same energy stored, or conversely to significantly increase the energy stored in a given space compared to the company’s existing GEN2 lithium sulfur cells.

The new GEN3 cells are currently demonstrating a gravimetric energy density in our laboratories of over 400 Wh/kg, and a volumetric energy density of 540 Wh/l. Compared to current Li-ion cells this is nearly double the gravimetric energy density and comparable for volumetric energy density. In practical terms this means that the cells are now the same physical size as existing Li-ion batteries but half the weight.

The Li-S Energy development team is currently working to develop the cell cycle testing and characterisation results to produce an industry-standard datasheet on the new 20-layer cells. Li-S Energy anticipates this development will be of significant commercial interest to sectors such as drones and eAviation — sectors in which the company has already established collaboration partners.

In addition to the GEN3 semi-solid-state Li-S cells, Li-S- Energy is continuing to progress R&D on full-solid-state electrolytes in a co-funded project within the ARC Research Hub for Safe and Reliable Energy at Deakin University, with the aim to create a full-solid-state Li-S battery.

“The development of these new battery cells is another validation of the strength of our scientific and technical teams, and our collaboration with Deakin University and other Australian and international institutions,” said Li-S Energy CEO Lee Finniear. “This outcome demonstrates the strength of our progress over the last year. In the coming months we look forward to commencing the production of commercial samples for our partners.”

Image credit: Li-S Energy.