[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/7256\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ECheaper, lighter and more energy-dense: The promise of lithium-sulphur batteries\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe main attraction is that they can store much more energy than a similar battery using current lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology. That means they can last substantially longer on a single charge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey can also be manufactured in plants where Li-ion batteries are made \u2013 so it should be relatively straightforward to put them into production.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERather than using costly cobalt, which is vulnerable to fragile global supply chains, they use sulphur, which is a cheap raw material available as a by-product of the oil industry. And their costs per unit of power can offer substantial savings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo what is the hold-up?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe main problem is that current lithium-sulphur (Li-S) batteries cannot be recharged enough times before they fail to make them commercially viable.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is all in the internal chemistry: charging a Li-S battery causes a build-up of chemical deposits that degrade the cell and shorten its lifespan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe deposits form in thin, tree-like structures called dendrites, which branch up from the lithium anode \u2013 the negative electrode inside the battery. The deposits degrade the anode and the electrolyte, which is the medium in which lithium ions shuttle back and forth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat reduces the power the battery can deliver and can also end up making a short-circuit, potentially causing a flammable electrolyte to catch fire. This is well-documented problem that can afflict Li-ion batteries, which is why airline safety requires backup power packs for mobile phones to be carried only in hand luggage, where smoke or a fire is more likely to be noticed or detected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERagged spikes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBattery cell developers have had difficulty getting the lithium to re-deposit smoothly and evenly back on the anode while recharging lithium-sulphur batteries, rather than in the ragged spikes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent lithium-sulphur batteries may work for perhaps as few as 50 recharging cycles. So they need substantial improvement to become commercially viable in passenger cars \u2013 a prime target market, says Dr Luis Santos, an energy storage researcher at Leitat technical institute in Barcelona, Spain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe is the technical coordinator of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/814471\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ELISA\u003C\/a\u003E project, which is working to optimise the various elements of lithium-sulphur batteries to make them compact enough \u2013 and reliable enough \u2013 to be used in small electric cars.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA primary goal is to preserve the lithium anode for many more recharging cycles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo do that, LISA consortium partner Pulsedeon, of Tampere in Finland, uses lasers to deposit ceramic composite on the anode in layers just a few microns thick. This protects the lithium anode from degrading and prevents the growth of the unruly dendrite spikes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018I am very confident about the anode,\u2019 Dr Santos said. \u2018We have very good partners working hard and we could have very good results very soon.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe components of the lithium-sulphur cell all need optimising \u2013 from the anode and its protective ceramic layer, the membrane, the electrolyte and the cathode. And the LISA partners are working on various options for each.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile Li-S cells store can theoretically store up to five times the energy of Li-ion batteries by mass, they also take up more volume, so the researchers are focused on ensuring solutions are as compact as possible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018For mass integration (in passenger cars), we are talking about (something like) 10 years from now.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDr Christophe Aucher, Leitat, Barcelona, Spain \u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHybrid electrolyte\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the steps the LISA researchers are taking is working towards a solid electrolyte \u2013 the material that conducts ions (charged atoms and molecules) conducting material between the positive and negative terminals inside the battery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConventional lithium-ion batteries generally use an electrolytic gel or liquid, but these can pose a fire risk, even at low temperatures. So the LISA consortium is working on an electrolyte that minimises that risk.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey are currently experimenting with a combination of solid ceramic elements and an adaptable, flexible polymer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother approach is to incorporate a \u2018chemical fuse\u2019 into the cell. The idea is to enclose a material that has a heat-sensitive cut-off, behaving essentially like a trip-switch that stops the electrical flows if the temperature rises too sharply.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr Santos is confident that the LISA project will result in substantial improvements to the technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Even if we don\u2019t have a final product (for passenger vehicles), for sure we\u2019re going to have some results that can improve lithium-sulphur batteries,\u2019 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMuch of the LISA work is building on the findings of a project called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/666157\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EALISE\u003C\/a\u003E, which was led by Dr Christophe Aucher, Leitat\u2019s principal researcher in energy storage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr Aucher says a notable outcome from ALISE was that carmaker SEAT showed that Li-S technology offered 10% better driving range than lithium-ion technology for a plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and about 2% better for a battery electric vehicle (BEV) \u2013 from a battery pack about 15% lighter than the equivalent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We got (a) surprise that it was not working as well as lithium-ion, but (in fact) a bit better than lithium-ion,\u2019 Dr Aucher said. \u2018We are talking about a technology with only this low level of maturity, so that was kind of amazing.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDrones\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat research also showed substantial potential cost savings, with Li-S potentially available at about \u20ac72 per kWh \u2013 30% less than comparable Li-ion technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut ALISE\u2019s batteries could only go through about 50 cycles before they failed and Dr Aucher suggested they would need about 20 times that to be viable in small electric vehicles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerfecting that and the final package, would take some time to be a true mass-market product in small vehicles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018For mass integration (in passenger cars), we are talking about (something like) 10 years from now,\u2019 Dr Aucher said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, the technology is proving worthwhile in applications where volume is not as critical as mass.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOXIS Energy, a partner to both projects and based near Oxford in the UK, is working with Mercedes-Benz to manufacture bus batteries, where a slightly bigger volume is outweighed by substantial weight savings, allowing more passengers to be carried.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd lithium-sulphur cells are already used in devices that demand lightweight batteries and can run for a long time off a single charge, such as drones or satellites.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022moreinfoblock\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3\u003E\u20ac10 million for innovative electric vehicle batteries\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EThe European Commission is currently running a competition to design the next generation of innovative batteries for electric vehicles. The challenge is to produce a prototype battery that recharges in the same amount of time as it takes to refuel a combustion engine car and can cover a similar distance on a single charge, maintaining this performance over a longer lifetime than current batteries. It is also expected to be safe, sustainable and recyclable and economical to produce, relying on materials that are easily available in Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea of the prize is to strengthen knowledge, innovation and competitiveness in electric vehicle batteries and energy storage technologies, with the aim of encouraging a shift to electric vehicles and contributing to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe individual or team behind the winning prototype will receive \u20ac10 million. The deadline for entries is 17 December 2020 and the prize will be awarded at the end of 2021. 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