New bio-inspired lithium-sulphur battery technology has the potential to quintuple the range of electric vehicles, research has found.

Scientists from the University of Michigan used recycled bulletproof vest material Kevlar to create a membrane-like network of nanofibers. The material was then applied to fix fundamental issues with current lithium-sulphur batteries.

The life cycle of lithium-sulphur battery technology is currently insufficient for commercial EV use, despite their capacity benefits. Slow charging that must be carried out often has slowed the uptake of EVs.

Lithium-sulphur batteries can hold up to five times as much charge as the widely used lithium-ion batteries, which are used in everything from smartphones and laptops.

However, the instability of the cathodes of lithium-sulphur batteries, which undergo a 78% change in size each charge cycle, mean they are impractical for things such as electric vehicles.

These flaws also cause the batteries to degrade much faster, meaning they would need to be replaced more often than their more stable counterparts.

Commenting on the breakthrough tech, Nicholas Kotov, a professor of chemical sciences and engineering at the university and research lead, said: “There are a number of reports claiming several hundred cycles for lithium-sulphur batteries, but it is achieved at the expense of other parameters: capacity, charging rate, resilience and safety.

“The challenge nowadays is to make a battery that increases the cycling rate from the former 10 cycles to hundreds of cycles and satisfies multiple other requirements, including cost.”

Professor Kotov added that the new design is “nearly perfect” and allows for the capacity and efficiency to approach the “theoretical limits” of lithium-sulphur batteries.

The new tech can handle the temperature extremes of use in vehicles. The team said that the breakthrough will enable real-world batteries to withstand more than 1,000 cycles under fast charging.

This anticipated lifespan would mean the average car battery would only need to be replaced around every 10 years, while the materials used are much better for the environment than current lithium-ion batteries.

Recommended

• Amazon backtracks on plans to block Visa payments in UK
• Sales of fake vaccine certificates surge during Omicron wave
• Strathclyde Uni wins US court appeal over light tech patent

“Achieving record levels for multiple parameters for multiple materials’ properties is what is needed now for car batteries,” Kotov added.

“It is a bit similar to gymnastics for the Olympics – you have to be perfect all round including the sustainability of their production.”

Advancements in battery technology have been increasing over the last few years as governments ramp up attempts to boost EV rollout and uptake around the world.

Leaders made hefty commitments at COP26 in Glasgow last year to cut emissions and fundamentally change the way industry’s run by 2050 – and electric vehicles will be a key technology in this transition.

In May last year, Harvard researchers said they had discovered the key to stable, fast-charging battery technology after designing a stable, lithium-metal solid-state battery that can be charged and discharged at least 10,000 times.

The team said that the technology could increase the lifespan of an electric vehicle to 10-15 years – around the same as current petrol-powered cars.

Get the latest news from DIGIT direct to your inbox

Our newsletter covers the latest technology and IT news from Scotland and beyond, as well as in-depth features and exclusive interviews with leading figures and rising stars.

We will keep you up to date on the pivotal issues impacting the sector and let you know about key upcoming events to ensure that you don’t miss out on what’s going on across the Scottish tech community.

Click here to subscribe.