SK Innovation Collaborates with Nobel Laureates on Next-Generation Battery Development

[Asia Economy Reporter So-yeon Park] SK Innovation is partnering with a Nobel Chemistry Prize laureate to develop next-generation battery technology.

On the 30th, SK Innovation announced that it has begun developing lithium-metal battery technology, considered a next-generation battery, in collaboration with John B. Goodenough, a 2019 Nobel Chemistry Prize winner and professor at the University of Texas, USA.

Lithium-metal batteries use metal for the anode, one of the four main battery materials, significantly increasing energy density. To manufacture lithium-metal batteries, it is essential to develop technology that can prevent the dendrite phenomenon, where lithium forms branch-like crystals during charging. The "solid electrolyte" that SK Innovation will co-develop with Professor Goodenough is gaining attention as a method to prevent this dendrite phenomenon.

The energy density of mainstream lithium-ion batteries currently has a limit of about 800Wh per liter. Lithium-metal batteries can significantly increase energy density to over 1000Wh per liter. Higher energy density means occupying less volume, allowing more batteries to be installed in electric vehicles to greatly extend driving range or reduce vehicle weight.

Lee Sung-joon, Head of SK Innovation’s Technology Innovation Research Institute, said, "Developing innovative next-generation lithium-metal batteries together with Professor Goodenough, who has shaped today’s battery industry, will be a great help not only to SK Innovation but also to related industries." He added, "With a leading Korean battery company and one of the world’s top scholars from the United States working together, we expect to make significant contributions to the development of the battery industry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.