By: Rahul Somvanshi
A multi-institutional team led by Hailong Chen at Georgia Tech has developed a low-cost cathode material for lithium-ion batteries that would forever revolutionize the EV market.
Photo Source: Google
The newly developed cathode material is iron chloride (FeCl3), and it costs just 1-2% of the conventional cathode materials while performing virtually the same.
FeCl3's cost-effectiveness could, on its own, bring down the overall cost of lithium-ion batteries by as much as 30-40%.
The iron chloride cathode can be used to make low-cost EVs, by allowing the battery cost to be decreased massively.
The FeCl3 cathode depends on access to plenty of cheap elements, iron, and chlorine. Thus, it is much greener than cobalt- or nickel-based cathodes.
Initial tests showed that FeCl3 matches, or beats, conventional cathodes, with a higher operating voltage than LiFePO4.
The development is a step toward all-solid-state LIBs, promising higher energy density, improved safety, and longer lifespan.
Lower-cost large-scale energy storage can further improve the resilience of electrical grids.
More research is required before FeCl3 becomes commercial; however, Chen says it might be viable in five years with an industry partnership.
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