U of S synchrotron testing next-gen EV batteries that could go 25x longer before replacement

Electric vehicle manufacturers are using the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron in Saskatoon to develop batteries with a lifespan pushing eight million kilometres, roughly 25 times the average life of batteries currently in use.

Researchers used the ultra bright synchrotron light at the CLS particle accelerator at the University of Saskatchewan to take a microscopic look at the inner workings of a regular lithium-ion battery and the new "single-crystal electrode" battery. Tesla Canada co-funded the research.

When they peered inside, the researchers saw the single-crystal electrode battery resisted the microscopic cracking caused by repeated charging cycles. This cracking degrades the ability of regular EV batteries to hold a charge.

Prior to testing, the single-crystal electrode battery analyzed at the CLS was continuously charged and depleted in a lab, said Toby Bond, a senior scientist at CLS who conducted the research with Dalhousie University professor Jeff Dahn.

"We charged it and discharged it 24/7 for about six years," Bond said in an interview with CBC News. "We brought it here and scanned it and we saw absolutely no signs of degradation. So this is after 20,000 charge discharge cycles, which is the equivalent of driving about eight million kilometres."

The main difference between the two batteries is in the electrodes. On a standard battery, the electrodes are made of particles 50 times smaller than the width of a hair, which in turn are made of even tinier crystals. The new battery is just one big crystal, meaning it's a more solid structure that is resistant to mechanical stress.

This is the first time scientists have analyzed a single-crystal electrode battery that was continuously cycled for so long, Bond said.

"What we do is take CT scans, which are kind of like a 3D X-ray you might get in the hospital," Bond said. "We can do that on a microscopic level with a battery without taking it apart.… We can actually look at features that are much smaller than human hair inside the battery without even disassembling it."

EV manufacturers are keen on developing batteries with longer life. Current standard batteries last anywhere from 10 to 20 years, or 160,000 to 320,000 kilometres, before replacement.

Bond said the new type of battery could outlive most other parts of an electric vehicle and that fewer battery replacements means reducing the carbon footprint of a vehicle. There is also potential for secondary uses, such as grid storage for wind and solar power.

Bond said these new batteries are already in commercial production and he expects they'll be used more often in the next few years.