I'm trying to figure out how the new solid-state batteries work. So far I'm getting this:
They use a solid lithium sulfide-based electrolyte - a glassy ceramic material made using Li₂S and P₂S₅. This sulfide glass has a high conductivity for Li⁺ ions, comparable to liquid electrolytes. The Li⁺ ions hop through the disordered sulfide lattice via vacancies and interstitial sites.
The hard part: the glassy material should be soft enough to keep contact with the electrodes as it expands and contracts during charge-discharge cycles, and not crack. Toyota claims to have solved this problem.
https://oilandenergyonline.com/articles/all/toyotas-breakthrough-solid-state-batteries/
(Nerdy nitpick: this article says the new car's range is 621 miles. Can you guess why they give such a precise figure?)
(2/2)
