Imagine being able to leave your bulky power banks and external batteries at home during a music festival or road trip. Australian researchers at Monash University claim to have developed the world’s most efficient lithium-sulfur battery. This battery is capable of powering a smartphone for five continuous days. It can even keep an electric vehicle on the road for over 600 miles. Soon, lithium-sulfur batteries could possibly takeover lithium-ion batteries as the industry standard.
Monash University researchers are “on the brink” of leading lithium-sulfur batteries to commercialization. Dr. Mahdokt Shaibani from Monash University’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering led an international research team to develop the new Li-S battery. With better performance and fewer environmental impacts, the ultra-high capacity Li-S battery is something to definitely look forward to.
In order to attempt to develop commercial lithium-sulfur batteries, Monash researchers reconfigured the design of sulfur cathodes. This reconstruction allows the batteries to withstand higher stress loads without a decline in capacity and performance.
Production for commercial Li-S batteries is definitely en route as the Monash researchers have been fully approved for their patent. Prototype cells for the batteries have been provided by German R&D partners at Fraunhofer Institute. Later in 2020, researchers plan to further trial the battery technology in cars and solar panels.
It might take some time before lithium-sulfur batteries will reach the commercial market, but the progress sounds more and more promising. Soon, you’ll be able to spend less time charging your phone, EV car, and camera, with a leaner, meaner, and greener battery.
