Patent — available for licensing
Mixed Conducting Cathodes and Dense Electrolytes for Solid-State Batteries
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
NASA’s SABERS 2.0 (Solid-state Architecture Batteries for Enhanced Rechargeability and Safety) project aims to improve the state of the art for battery efficiency, power, and safety. Current lithium-ion batteries use liquid electrolytes that connect to the active material. However, these electrolytes are highly volatile and flammable, which can cause catastrophic failures and carry safety risks that may impact mass-market desirability. Solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes with better conduction abilities, making them a sound alternative to lithium-ion designs, but these often contain complex cathodes that have inefficient energy pathways and can be difficult to build at scale. Teams at NASA’s Glenn Research Center have created two complementary SABERS innovations to improve solid-state batteries’ performance and safety: a low-temperature electrolyte densification process and a catholyte formulation that simplifies the path of conduction and reduces the number of required interfaces. These innovations work in conjunction to increase electrolyte density while simultaneously increasing cathode porosity, resulting in solid-state battery concepts with increased energy density combined with the safety improvements of higher tolerances.