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yesterday

MIT Demonstrates Self-Assembling Electrolyte Enabling Fast Disassembly of Solid-State Batteries

The proof-of-concept electrolyte dissolves in simple organic liquids, allowing components to separate for recovery.

A depiction of batteries made with MIT researchers’ new electrolyte material, which is made from a class of molecules that self-assemble in water, named aramid amphiphiles (AAs), whose chemical structures and stability mimic Kevlar.
Inspired by a scene in "Harry Potter" where Dumbledore cleans a room with a flick of his wrist, researcher Cho wondered if a similar "magic" could be applied to battery recycling.
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Overview

  • MIT researchers reported in Nature Chemistry that the material functioned as the electrolyte in a working solid-state cell.
  • The electrolyte is made from Kevlar-like aramid amphiphiles modified with polyethylene glycol that self-assemble in water into ion-conducting nanoribbons.
  • Tests using lithium iron phosphate cathodes and lithium titanium oxide anodes showed successful lithium transport but polarization limited fast charge and discharge performance.
  • Submerging the assembled cell in common organic solvents dissolved the electrolyte within minutes and let the battery’s layers detach for easier recycling.
  • The team describes the advance as a recycle-first proof of concept and aims to optimize it for use as one layer in multi-component electrolytes, with support from the NSF and the U.S. Department of Energy.