New air lithium battery

Could a lithium-air battery power a plane?

Researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have developed a lithium-air battery that could make that dream a reality. The team’s new battery design could also one day power domestic airplanes and long-haul trucks.

Could a lithium-air battery power a car?

Scientists have built and tested for a thousand cycles a lithium-air battery design that could one day be powering cars, domestic airplanes, long-haul trucks and more. Its energy storage capacity greatly surpasses that possible with lithium-ion batteries.

What is a lithium air battery?

The main new component in this lithium-air battery is a solid electrolyte instead of the usual liquid variety. Batteries with solid electrolytes are not subject to the safety issue with the liquid electrolytes used in lithium-ion and other battery types, which can overheat and catch fire.

What is a lithium-air battery cell composed of?

A lithium-air battery cell consists of a lithium metal anode, an air-based cathode, and a solid ceramic polymer electrolyte (CPE). During discharge and charge, lithium ions (Li +) move from the anode to the cathode, then back. (Credit: Argonne National Laboratory)

Could a new lithium-air battery power a long-haul truck?

This new lithium-air battery design could one day power long-haul trucks. The main new component in this battery is a solid electrolyte instead of the usual liquid variety. The team's new battery could also power domestic airplanes.

Is a lithium-air battery better than lithium-ion batteries?

“ With further development, we expect our new design for the lithium-air battery to also reach a record energy density of 1200 watt-hours per kilogram,” said Curtiss. “ That is nearly four times better than lithium-ion batteries.” This research was published in a recent issue of Science.