Akron PolyEnergy, a company set up by research scientists from Akron University in Ohio, is developing a solid polymer electrolyte to make lithium-ion batteries safer and more reliable. The company is now working on a commercial prototype. “Lithium has been the holy grail of battery technology,” said Dr. John M. Kelly, director of the Center for Energy Storage Research at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. The team is working to make a dual-salt based polymer that will offer improved conductivity and reliability. If the polymer electrolyte proves to be a success it could increase batteries’ energy density and reduce safety and reliability worries.
Akron PolyEnergy, a company set up by research scientists from Akron University in Ohio, is developing a solid polymer electrolyte to make lithium-ion batteries safer and more reliable. The company is now working on a commercial prototype. Professor Yu Zhu, who heads the team, said solid electrolytes had not yet been commercialised in lithium batteries because of low conductivity and high resistance. The team is working to make a dual-salt based polymer that will offer improved conductivity and reliability. If the polymer electrolyte proves to be a success it could increase batteries’ energy density and reduce safety and reliability worries.