A 3-Layer, Fire-Resistant, Explosion-Proof Battery

Design engineers worldwide face a persistent challenge: creating energy storage solutions that balance safety, efficiency, and longevity. Recent advancements from DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology) could be a game-changer. Principal Researcher Kim Jae-hyun’s team has developed a lithium metal battery with a “triple-layer solid polymer electrolyte” designed to address critical issues like fire risk, dendrite formation, and durability.

The Triple-Layer Revolution

The innovation centers on a three-layer solid polymer electrolyte, with each layer playing a distinct role:

1. Fire Resistance: The inclusion of decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) prevents combustion, offering unparalleled fire safety.
2. Enhanced Strength: A robust middle layer reinforced with zeolite significantly boosts mechanical stability.
3. Fast Ion Movement: A high concentration of lithium salt (LiTFSI) facilitates rapid ion transport, ensuring efficient energy transfer.

This layered approach tackles the long-standing problem of dendrites—tree-like lithium formations that develop during charging and discharging cycles. These structures can compromise connections and lead to catastrophic failures, including fires or explosions. By combining structural strength with improved ion mobility, the triple-layer electrolyte effectively prevents dendrite formation.

Performance Breakthroughs

The team’s experiments demonstrate remarkable improvements:

• The battery retained 87.9% performance after 1,000 charging and discharging cycles, far exceeding the typical 70-80% retention of conventional batteries.
• The outer layers ensure excellent electrode contact, enabling higher energy transfer rates and operational stability.
• The system’s self-extinguishing capability drastically reduces fire risks, enhancing safety for high-demand applications.

Versatile Applications

The triple-layer battery’s potential spans diverse industries:

• Consumer Electronics: Enhanced safety and durability for smartphones, wearables, and laptops.
• Electric Vehicles (EVs): Fire-resistant, long-lasting batteries for safer, more efficient EVs.
• Energy Storage Systems: Reliable and scalable solutions for renewable energy storage.

Implications for Design Engineers

For design engineers, this breakthrough represents an opportunity to integrate safer, high-performance batteries into next-generation products. The combination of fire resistance, longevity, and energy efficiency addresses multiple pain points in battery design, making this solution particularly appealing for applications where safety and reliability are paramount.

Future Prospects

Dr. Kim highlighted the importance of this innovation for commercializing lithium metal batteries with solid polymer electrolytes. The research, supported by Korea’s National Research Foundation, was featured as the cover article in the prestigious journal Small. The project’s success could pave the way for safer, more efficient energy storage systems in an increasingly electrified world.

For design engineers, this triple-layer battery offers a promising path to tackle safety and performance challenges head-on, bringing us closer to a future powered by secure and reliable energy solutions.

Original Story: Research News < News < News < Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science&Technology