Given the growing demand for batteries and the depletion of rare raw resources like lithium, the search for sustainable and recyclable batteries is essential to promoting a green energy revolution.
BTRY, a spin-off from ETH, is leading the way in battery research with its emphasis on producing batteries that can charge extremely quickly and have exceptional resistance to variations in temperature. With a thin layer structure that improves safety and charging efficiency, BTRY’s solid-state batteries differ from traditional lithium-ion batteries, which depend on liquid electrolytes and are prone to overheating.
By methodically stacking wafer-thin battery cells in a vacuum environment, BTRY achieves enhanced efficiency in battery design through semiconductor production techniques. This unique approach guarantees a lifespan of around ten times greater than that of conventional batteries and allows for rapid recharging, taking only about a minute to complete.
BTRY’s solid-state batteries feature extreme temperature resistance, making them appropriate for use in severe environments like space missions or medical devices. The final product, which looks like thin foil, displays coatings so thin that the finished thickness is less than a human hair, demonstrating the complexity of BTRY’s technological prowess.
ETH spin-off 8inks’ innovative multilayer curtain coating method disrupts conventional battery manufacturing procedures. In contrast to the outdated slot die technology that has dominated the production of lithium-ion batteries for the previous thirty years, the 8inks technique enables the application of numerous thin layers to customize battery coatings precisely.
The breakthrough of multilayer coating allows for flexibility and scalability in battery production by addressing differences in material qualities and thickness between layers. This method makes it easier to scale solid-state batteries to meet rising demand while accelerating the coating of battery electrodes.
8inks is investigating several battery types, from coin batteries to smartphone pouch cells, emphasizing scalability for batteries used in electric vehicles. The founder, Paul Baade, plans to use their manufacturing process to meet the growing need for high-performance batteries, especially in energy storage solutions for renewable sources.