800-cycle anode-free solid-state battery could replace lithium cells

A Maryland-based solid-state battery manufacturer has achieved a major milestone in the commercialization of its solid-state energy storage devices. ION Storage Systems (ION) has achieved 800 cycles in its solid-state battery (SSB) cells without the need for compression or volume change.

With an anode-free design that causes no compression, the company is the first to achieve this milestone.

Traditionally, compression has been a major obstacle to the success of SSB technology.

A stable cycle was observed in SSB cells

“The stable cycle we have repeatedly observed in our R&D cells is the culmination of key innovations by ceramics and battery scientists at ION over the past several years,” said Dr. Nicholas Hudak, director of cell R&D at ION.

The combination of ION’s next-generation ceramic electrolyte and unique cell architecture creates the only known anode-free, compression-free lithium metal battery that can operate with this level of stability at 298.15 K (25°C).

The company says it has assembled a world-class team of scientists, engineers and operations staff who can quickly solve technical challenges to bring the technology to commercial scale.

ION cell performance forces a large part of the lithium-ion cell market to be replaced

“I am extremely proud of this latest achievement. It is unprecedented for an anode-free cell to achieve this cycle life without compression,” said ION Chief Technology Officer Dr. Greg Hitz.

Hitz maintained that ION has now produced a cell with the performance to replace a large portion of the lithium-ion market. The next plan is to build it in a commercial format, multilayer cells from ION’s pilot line, and do it with high repeatability to get them into the hands of customers.

“The early glimpses of our larger format cells look equally promising, and I can’t wait to share them with everyone. This team continues to achieve milestones, and I’m excited about the coming months,” Hitz added.

With commercial customers in mind, the company plans to launch the first generation of SSB products in late 2024.

The company says its anode-free technology provides a safe and more powerful alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries. SSB cells also eliminate the need for less sustainable materials such as graphite by using a revolutionary 3-D ceramic structure.

The SSB platform, which can support existing and future cathode technologies, enables simple and cost-effective large-scale production.

ION’s simple lithium-ion battery replacement design has the potential to significantly accelerate the adoption of ION’s SSB technology in applications such as consumer electronics, medical devices, electric vehicles, grid energy storage, aerospace and defense, the company said in a press release.

The company is now ready to produce its patented solid-state batteries at scale. ION is working with various government agencies to demonstrate the feasibility of ION solid-state batteries to sustain operations in very challenging environments.

In June, ION announced it would receive $20 million from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) as part of a three-year, $40 million partnership with several world-class commercialization partners.

The company has also partnered with Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest suppliers of ceramics, glass and materials, to accelerate the commercialization of ION’s high-performance, anode-free SSB glass.