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Why Lithium-Ion May Rule Batteries for a Long Time to Come
Materials scientist Gerd Ceder is overseeing a research effort to extend the capabilities of the dominant form of energy storage, using a new class of compounds
By James Temple
The US Department of Energy is launching a major research effort to develop a new generation of lithium-ion batteries largely free of cobalt, a rare and expensive metal delivered through an increasingly troubling supply chain.
The three-year program could eventually lead to cheaper, longer-lasting consumer gadgets, electric vehicles, and grid storage.
As part of the research effort, Gerd Ceder, a materials scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, will oversee a project to develop “disordered rock salts” as an alternative material for cathodes, the positive electrode in a rechargeable cell. Several years ago, Ceder and his colleagues found that this class of materials could store more lithium, potentially boosting energy density while avoiding the need for cobalt entirely (see “Disordered materials hold promise for better batteries”).
In an interview with MIT Technology Review, Ceder discussed the challenges to ensure that the new materials work as a “drop-in”…
