The Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI, President Shin Hee-dong) has successfully designed high-output, long-life cathode particles specialized for all-solid-state batteries, taking a step forward in commercializing all-solid-state batteries.

KETI announced on the 25th that it has recently developed a technology to manufacture cathode materials with high charging and lifespan characteristics for all-solid-state batteries, and that the related content was published in the latest issue of a renowned international academic journal in the field of chemical engineering.

All-solid-state batteries are batteries that replace the liquid electrolyte that fills the space between the positive and negative electrodes of existing lithium-ion batteries with a solid electrolyte. They are safe because there is no risk of explosion, and they have a higher energy density than existing batteries, so global technological competition for their commercialization is intensifying.

In particular, the cathode material is a key element that determines the capacity and output of the battery, but most research to secure the ion conductivity performance of all-solid-state batteries has been limited to focusing on solid electrolyte materials.

The team led by Dr. Woo-Seok Jo (Senior Researcher) at the KETI Next-Generation Battery Research Center developed a technology to manufacture NCM cathode material particles in the form of single particles with a small particle size (5 μm), thereby creating an optimal cathode material design environment specialized for all-solid-state batteries.

If the internal structure of the NCM cathode material is manufactured as a single particle, the resistance that occurred at the boundary of the existing multi-particle form can be minimized, and the distance of lithium ion movement from the surface to the center of the cathode material can be shortened and the transfer speed can be increased through particle size reduction.

In addition, since the single-particle cathode material has higher particle strength than multi-particle material, it shows the characteristic of maintaining a long battery life as there are almost no particle cracks even when repeated charging and discharging.

The results of this study, which was supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology Evaluation and Planning, were published in the latest issue (No. 470) of the world-renowned academic journal in the field of chemical engineering, 'Chemical Engineering Journal (IF=16.744)' under the title 'Formation of a single particle structure of nickel-rich cathode materials for all-solid-state batteries'.

KETI Next Generation Battery Research Center Director Yoo Ji-sang said, “KETI researchers are leading the way in ultra-fast charging technology in the all-solid-state battery field, such as by integrating existing cathode material manufacturing technologies to secure cathode plate technology that can charge more than 85% in 6 minutes with an electrode capacity twice that of existing lithium secondary batteries.” He added, “The center will continue to secure core technologies that are ahead of advanced countries overseas and focus on commercializing all-solid-state batteries.”