New Record for Lithium-Ion Conductors with Innovative Solid-State Battery Material

Solid-state batteries are rapidly emerging as the future of energy storage, offering higher energy capacity and improved safety compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. Now, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and TUMint.Energy Research have taken a groundbreaking step forward. Their team has developed a new material that allows lithium ions to move 30% faster than any previously known conductor—marking a world record in ion conductivity.

A New Material Breakthrough

The innovation centers around a novel material composed of lithium, antimony, and scandium. Led by Prof. Thomas F. Fässler from TUM’s Chair of Inorganic Chemistry with a Focus on Novel Materials, the team re-engineered the molecular structure of lithium antimonide by introducing scandium. This subtle modification creates unique gaps, or vacancies, within the crystal lattice of the conductor material. These vacancies make it significantly easier for lithium ions to travel through the material, drastically enhancing conductivity.

“Our result currently represents a significant advance in basic research,” said Prof. Fässler. “By incorporating small amounts of scandium, we have uncovered a new principle that could serve as a blueprint for other elemental combinations.”

Why This Matters for Solid-State Batteries

Solid-state batteries are highly sought after because they replace flammable liquid electrolytes with solid materials, making them safer and more energy-dense. However, one of the biggest challenges has been achieving fast ion conductivity. Traditional solid-state electrolytes have struggled with sluggish lithium ion movement, hindering performance and charging speeds.

The new material from TUM tackles this problem head-on, offering:

• 30% Faster Ion Conductivity: Breaking the previous world record for lithium-ion conductors.

• Thermal Stability: Enhanced durability under high temperatures, making it ideal for electric vehicles and grid storage.

• Scalable Production: Uses well-established chemical methods, simplifying the path to mass production.

Collaborative Validation

Given the material’s unprecedented conductivity, the TUM team collaborated with the Chair of Technical Electrochemistry under Prof. Hubert Gasteiger to validate the findings.
Co-author Tobias Kutsch, who led the validation tests, noted:

“Because the material also conducts electricity, it presented a special challenge, and we had to adapt our measurement methods accordingly.”

Their tests confirmed the breakthrough, solidifying the material’s place as the fastest lithium-ion conductor discovered to date.

A New Class of Substances

The innovation doesn’t stop at lithium-antimony. According to Jingwen Jiang, first author and scientist at TUMint.Energy Research, the same principle can be applied to other chemical systems, such as lithium-phosphorus.

This finding opens the door to a new class of solid-state materials, potentially revolutionizing the design of batteries for electric vehicles, grid storage, and consumer electronics.

The Road Ahead

While the breakthrough is still in its research phase, the team is optimistic about its future. The new material has already been patented, and next steps include rigorous testing and scalability assessments to bring it closer to commercial applications.

“Materials that conduct both ions and electrons are particularly well suited as additives in electrodes,” added Prof. Fässler.

The TUM researchers believe that with further development, this material could redefine the landscape for solid-state batteries, making high-capacity, fast-charging, and safer energy storage a reality.

Original Story: World record for lithium-ion conductors in solid-state batteries – TUM