Lithium metal-air batteries hold 10 times more charge

Darius Chang | Jun 29, 2009

Lithium-ion batteries have been the de facto standard for high-capacity portable power for decades. By wrapping lithium with a graphite electrode, it prevents the volatile element from coming in explosive contact with water. However, this limits the amount of lithium, and hence electric charge, which the battery can hold.

The next evolution in portable power is for a battery made up entirely of lithium, with the surrounding air as the electrode. This allows the cell to have more than 10 times the capacity of today's lithium-ion battery. PolyPlus, the company developing this technology, overcomes the issue of water contact by using a ceramic electrolyte material overlay called lisicon. Like Gore-Tex, lisicon is impermeable to water but allows lithium ions to pass through. Another layer of laminate prevents water from entering but allows air to go through. The lithium ions react with air and result in an electric current.

PolyPlus is currently undergoing further tests to check if the new cells can endure real-world use. This is no vaporware, as the company has partnered with battery maker Quallion to produce power packs for an undisclosed US government agency.

Via Technology Review

Filed under: Future Tech, Notebooks
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