DGIST’s triple-layer solid polymer electrolyte battery improves safety, efficiency, and durability, addressing dendrite issues while retaining 87.9% performance after 1,000 cycles. It holds promise for diverse applications, including electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

A research team from DGIST’s Division of Energy & Environmental Technology, led by Principal Researcher Kim Jae-hyun, has developed a lithium metal battery using a “triple-layer solid polymer electrolyte.” This innovation significantly improves fire safety while extending the battery’s lifespan, making it a promising solution for applications in electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage systems.

Conventional solid polymer electrolyte batteries face challenges due to structural limitations that impede optimal contact between electrodes. These limitations fail to address the issue of “dendrites”—tree-like lithium formations that occur during repeated charging and discharging cycles. Dendrites pose a critical safety risk, as their irregular growth can damage battery connections and lead to fires or explosions.

It could revolutionize electric vehicles and aircraft.

Charging an electric vehicle can be daunting sometimes, but Tesla, the biggest player in the game, has long figured it out. Thanks to its extensive Supercharger network of DC fast chargers that are tightly integrated with the cars’ software, it’s extremely easy to plan a route in a Tesla EV.

The infotainment system shows the driver exactly how many charging stops are needed, how much juice will be in the battery when arriving at a charging stop and how much energy will be added during the charging stop. It’s all seamless, and it’s one of the biggest reasons why people buy Teslas to begin with.

However, during the holidays, even Tesla owners might have to wait a little longer during charging stops simply because all the stalls are already in use when arriving at a Supercharger. More people are traveling, so more EV owners are out there charging their cars. However, Tesla seems to have a solution for this, as well.