A new type of lithium-ion battery featuring single-crystal electrodes could extend the lifespan of electric vehicles (EVs) and power grid storage systems, according to a team of researchers at Dalhousie University.

Using Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan, the team studied a new type of lithium-ion battery featuring single-crystal electrodes. This innovation significantly outperforms traditional batteries, opening new possibilities for EVs and energy storage.

The study, published in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, revealed that the single-crystal electrode battery can last over 20,000 charge-discharge cycles while maintaining 80% of its original capacity. This is equivalent to driving an EV for 8 million kilometers. In comparison, conventional lithium-ion batteries degrade after approximately 2,400 cycles, a fraction of the performance seen with the new technology.

Toby Bond, senior scientist at CLS and lead researcher, explained, “The main focus of our research was to understand how damage and fatigue inside a battery progresses over time, and how we can prevent it.”

The key lies in the structural difference between standard battery electrodes and single-crystal electrodes. The standard batteries feature electrode materials made of small, snowball-like particles that degrade over time due to microscopic cracking caused by the expansion and contraction during charging and discharging. This mechanical stress eventually pulverizes the electrode, limiting the battery’s lifespan.

Single-crystal electrodes consist of single, large crystal structures resembling an ice cube. The ice cube-like design resists mechanical stress, preventing the micro-cracking that plagues traditional batteries. “If you have a snowball in one hand and an ice cube in the other, the snowball is much easier to crush,” said Bond.

The durability of these batteries offers significant advantages for EV manufacturers and the renewable energy industry. EV batteries often degrade faster than other vehicle components, leading to costly replacements. The new technology ensures that the battery could potentially outlast the vehicle itself.

Once these batteries are no longer optimal for the EVs, they can be repurposed for energy storage systems. In applications like grid storage, energy density becomes less important.

The study leveraged ultrabright synchrotron light to examine the internal structure of batteries after years of use without disassembling them. The analysis confirmed that single-crystal batteries showed negligible signs of degradation, even after six years of continuous cycling.

The study was funded by Tesla Canada and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) under the Alliance grant program.

The new batteries are already being produced commercially, and their use should ramp up significantly within the next couple of years, according to Bond.

Earlier, researchers at the University of Liverpool discovered a solid material that rapidly conducts lithium ions, which are essential components in the rechargeable batteries that power electric vehicles and many electronic devices.