A research team from the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences has achieved a breakthrough in solid-state lithium battery technology – developing a flexible battery capable of enduring up to 20,000 bends. The innovation offers a new solution to long-standing challenges such as high interfacial resistance and low ion transport efficiency in solid-state batteries.

The findings were recently published in the international journal Advanced Materials.

Solid-state lithium batteries are considered a next-generation energy storage technology due to their high safety and energy density. However, poor contact between solid electrodes and electrolytes often results in significant ion transport resistance and reduced efficiency, limiting their practical use.

To tackle this, the team designed a polymer-based material featuring ion-conducting ethoxy groups and electrochemically active short sulfur chains into the polymer backbone. This molecular design achieves interface integration at the molecular scale, allowing efficient ion transport and controllable switching between ion transfer and storage.

The researchers said flexible batteries built with this material demonstrate excellent bending resilience. When used as a polymer electrolyte in composite cathodes, the system's energy density increases by up to 86 percent. The study provides a new materials design strategy and research paradigm for the development of high-performance, high-safety solid-state batteries. (CGTN)