Lithium, as we know, has a somewhat chequered past when it comes to safety. Apart from product recalls – Dell and HP are amongst those who have issued battery related safety advisories – Li-ion batteries were also an issue with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner aircraft, with fires reported on a couple of planes. And the latest Li-ion battery issue saw Samsung recalling its Galaxy Note7 phone.
In the last month or so, New Electronics has reported on nickel-zinc and sodium-ion approaches, as well as ceramic electrodes and ice templating. Lithium-sulphur battery technology continues to be developed and a number of teams are looking at solid state solutions. The latest news in this category sees Swiss researchers looking to solid state electrolytes featuring sodium and magnesium as potential replacements.
Battery development is an incremental process, with much optimisation required on the way. So, while material A might perform better than lithium in one area, it might not be as good in another. And there are cost and manufacturing challenges.
Until a material offers an all round improvement, lithium will remain the battery material of choice. But with the degree of effort now being put into battery technology, you could conclude that lithium’s days are numbered.
