24M has announced the development of Eternalyte™, a new electrolyte designed specifically for lithium-metal batteries. This proprietary, liquid electrolyte formula is expected to significantly enhance the cycle life and rate capability of lithium-metal EV batteries.
Eternalyte™ is the latest addition to 24M’s innovative battery technology portfolio, which also includes 24M ETOP™, an electrode-to-pack battery technology, and 24M Impervio™, a new battery separator. When combined, these three technologies offer a comprehensive battery technology suite that supports a sustainable energy future.
Historically, solid-state electrolyte (SSE) technology has been the preferred choice for commercializing lithium-metal batteries due to their potential for higher energy densities. However, issues such as safety concerns, inconsistent cycle life, and challenges with scalability, cost, and fragility have limited their commercial viability. Eternalyte™, in combination with Impervio™, addresses these challenges by providing a low-cost solution that prevents metal dendrites and ensures excellent cycle life with consistent and low electrical resistance to cathode active materials.
Preliminary testing of Eternalyte™ has shown substantial improvements in cycle life and rate capability for lithium-metal batteries. For a lithium-metal cell cycling at 1C discharge/1C charge, 24M Eternalyte™ allows the cell to retain 83% capacity over 500+ cycles, equivalent to approximately 500,000+ miles of total range and 1,000 miles per charge. Test results for lithium-lithium base cells suggested an equivalent of 3,000+ cycles with 4C continuous cycling without shorting or increasing resistance.
When combined, the 24M suite of battery technologies addresses current lithium-metal challenges — safety, cycle life, and rate capability — and enables a more efficient and lower-cost next-gen battery. 24M ETOP™ increases battery pack energy density by eliminating the cell and integrating electrodes directly into the pack. The Impervio™ separator technology prevents and suppresses dendrite growth for safer lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries. Together, these technologies enable improved safety, cycle life, and energy density to deliver a 1,000-mile battery pack powered by lithium-metal.
The 24M technology portfolio provides flexibility for cell manufacturers using conventional processes by enabling them to integrate individual technologies into their current manufacturing processes.
Source
