Lithium News

China sought to solicit public opinion towards the draft regulations, aiming at regulating its rapidly growing lithium battery industry on Wednesday. The rules, proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, are designed to curb unchecked expansion and promote sustainable and high-quality development within the sector.

The proposed regulations address several key issues facing China’s lithium battery supply chain, including unbalanced regional development, mismatched supply and demand, inconsistent product quality, and insufficient innovation. The regulations also cover various aspects of the industry such as plant layout, production processes, product performance, safety and quality control, environmental protection, and social responsibility.

The draft regulations address the environmental impact of the lithium battery industry. These rules impose stricter controls over manufacturing processes to adhere to contemporary environmental standards, which include reducing pollution and optimizing resource use. The focus on sustainable practices intends to minimize the industry’s ecological footprint by curbing emissions and improving the energy efficiency of battery production. By establishing stringent standards for energy density and cycle life, the regulations promote the development of batteries that require less frequent replacement, potentially reducing waste.

Notably, the draft regulations also encourage companies to focus on technological innovation to improve product quality and reduce costs, instead of production capacity expansion. Lithium battery manufacturers are required to invest at least 3% of their main business revenue in research and development. The rules also set specific standards for energy density, cycle life and other technical parameters for different types of lithium batteries.

The regulations come as China’s lithium battery installations have seen explosive growth in recent years, driven by strong domestic demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage. In 2023, China’s lithium-ion battery sector sustained its growth momentum, with the total output rising 25 percent year on year. This growth was largely driven by the surge in China’s new energy vehicle sales, which reached 9.495 million units in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 37.9%. In comparison, the European Union (EU) registered 2.4 million new EVs in 2023, which is almost 20% more than in 2022. The International Energy Agency reported that in 2023 China accounted for around 60% of global electric car sales.

While the new regulations aim to promote sustainable growth, the US has expressed concerns about China’s dominant position on the global battery supply chain. In March 2024, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen noted the competitive challenges posed by China’s practices in strategic sectors such as the mining and processing of crucial minerals like lithium. She claimed that China was “distorting global prices and production patterns and hurting American and global firms and workers.” The US government has been pushing to reduce its reliance on Chinese imports and boost domestic production of critical materials.

The draft regulations also come as the U.S. and Europe are rushing to build up their own domestic battery supply chains to reduce reliance on China. Last year, the US government announced $3.5 Billion to strengthen domestic battery manufacturing. The EU also passed the Critical Raw Materials Act and is working on its own European Battery Alliance to boost the region’s battery ecosystem.

What determines the cycle life of batteries? And, more importantly, how can we extend it? An international research team led by TU Delft has discovered that local disorder in the oxide cathode material increases the number of times Li-ion batteries can be charged and discharged. Their results have been published in Nature.

Rechargeable batteries are a key ingredient of the energy transition, especially now that more and more renewable energy is becoming available. Among the many types of rechargeable batteries, Li-ion batteries are among the most powerful and widely used ones.

To electrically connect them, layered oxides are often used as electrodes. However, their atomic structure becomes unstable when the battery is being charged. This ultimately affects the battery cycle life.

To solve this problem, the “Storage of Electrochemical Energy” group at TU Delft teamed up with international researchers. Qidi Wang, the paper’s lead author says, “The layered oxide used as cathode material for Li-ion batteries is neatly ordered. We conducted a structure design study to introduce chemical short-range disorder into this material through an improved synthesis method. As a result, it became more stable during battery use.”

The improved structural stability almost doubled the battery’s capacity retention after 200 charging/discharging cycles. In addition, this chemical short-range disorder increases the charge transfer in the electrode, resulting in shorter charging times. The team demonstrated these advantages for well-established commercial cathodes such as lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC811).

The outcomes could lead to a new generation of Li-ion batteries, with a lower manufacturing cost and smaller CO2 footprint per unit of energy stored over its lifetime. The team will next investigate if the same material design principles can be used to build cathodes from raw materials that are less scarce.

“Both cobalt and nickel are so-called critical materials for energy technologies and it would be a good thing to reduce the use these materials in batteries,” says the paper’s senior author, Marnix Wagemaker.

In a world where the appetite for energy is insatiable, the battery market has become the playground for some of the brightest minds aiming to fuel everything from cell phones to electric vehicles. However, as our gadgets become even smarter, the traditional batteries we’ve relied on seem ever so dim-witted in comparison. Enter the era of cutting-edge battery technology, where the latest developments are juicing up the market with a blend of high energy and high drama.

The Latest Tech On (and Off) the Battery Market

Let’s kick things off with lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, which are currently stealing the limelight. Imagine a battery that can power your electric car from New York to Washington D.C. and back without a recharge. Lithium-sulfur batteries promise exactly that—significantly higher energy density at a lower cost than their lithium-ion cousins. But like every good saga, there are also challenges.

The main issue has been the battery’s lifespan. Like a one-hit wonder, Li-S batteries tend to fade into obscurity too soon. However, recent breakthroughs in stabilizing the materials have seen these batteries last longer, suggesting that a chart-topping hit may yet be on the cards.

If lithium-sulfur batteries are the pop stars of the battery market, solid-state batteries are the rock legends. We’ve talked about these behemoths before, and we’re inching closer to their production every day. By ditching the liquid electrolyte for a solid counterpart, these batteries are not just safer (no more fiery surprises!), but they also boast a higher capacity and a longer life.

Imagine charging your phone once a week instead of every night. Industry giants and startups alike continue to pour billions into this technology, with companies like QuantumScape and Solid Power racing to bring them to the growing battery market. The excitement is palpable, but mass production is the encore we’re all waiting to arrive.

A Renewed Focus on Speed and Cost

In our fast-paced world, waiting three hours for a battery to charge can feel like an eternity. Thankfully, the latest developments in fast-charging technology can cut this down to mere minutes. Companies like StoreDot are leading the charge with batteries you can juice up in just five minutes. This technology hinges on innovative anode and cathode materials that can handle quick power absorption and release without degrading. It’s like speed dating, but for electrons!

While lithium has been the star of the battery show, it’s not without its downsides—think resource scarcity and geopolitical tensions in lithium-rich regions. This has sparked a talent search for alternatives. Sodium-ion batteries are stepping up as promising candidates, offering a similar performance to lithium-ion, but at a lower cost (thanks to the abundance of sodium). Meanwhile, aluminum-air batteries continue to make waves with their potential for high energy density, though they’re currently reserved mostly for cameos, as they remain best suited to specialized roles.

A More “Green” Battery Revolution

As the demand for batteries soars, so does the need for sustainable practices. After all, what’s the point of powering a green revolution with fossil fuel processes? The industry is buzzing with initiatives to make battery production cleaner and greener. For instance, recycling is getting a makeover with advanced technologies able to recover up to 95% of a battery’s materials. Moreover, new battery designs are incorporating materials that are easier to recycle, ensuring that our energy future is as clean as it is bright.

The battery market is surging with innovation, and each breakthrough sparks a flurry of excitement and investment. From concerts in the park to intercontinental flights, we will feel the impact of these advancements across all facets of our lives. As we stand on the cusp of this energetic revolution, one thing is clear: the future is looking charged up, and it’s anything but static.

Whether you’re a battery purchasing manager, tech enthusiast, or just someone keeping tabs on this dynamic market, keep your eyes peeled on this space. The next big thing in batteries could be just around the corner, ready to power the world to the next level. Of course, we’ll be sure to keep you informed and updated about the ever-changing battery space all along the way.

Chinese scientists have developed a water-based battery with nearly double the energy density compared to traditional lithium batteries, according to new research published in a paper in Nature Energy.

According to researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, tests revealed an impressive energy density of the iodine- and bromine-based aqueous battery that could reach 1,200 watt-hours per liter (Wh/L), surpassing the 700 Wh/L of non-aqueous lithium batteries.

The researchers also emphasized the safety advantages of their aqueous battery over non-aqueous lithium batteries, notorious for their high flammability.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, the water-based battery “shows promising potential for the development of next-generation high-energy-density and safe rechargeable aqueous batteries,” as quoted by the researchers.

One of the authors, Li Xianfeng, a professor at the CAS Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, said their findings “may expand aqueous battery applications in the power battery field.”

Currently, most electric vehicles rely on lithium-ion batteries to operate.

A lithium-ion battery pack for a single electric car contains about 8 kilograms (kg) of lithium, according to figures from the US Department of Energy.

Charge-recharge cycling of lithium-super-rich iron oxide, a cost-effective and high-capacity cathode for new-generation lithium-ion batteries, can be greatly improved by doping with readily available mineral elements.

The energy capacity and charge-recharge cycling (cyclability) of lithium-iron-oxide, a cost-effective cathode material for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, is improved by adding small amounts of abundant elements. The development, achieved by researchers at Hokkaido University, Tohoku University, and Nagoya Institute of Technology, is reported in the journal ACS Materials Letters.

Lithium-ion batteries have become indispensable in modern life, used in a multitude of applications including mobile phones, electric vehicles, and large power storage systems.

A constant research effort is underway to increase their capacity, efficiency, and sustainability. A major challenge is to reduce the reliance on rare and expensive resources. One approach is to use more efficient and sustainable materials for the battery cathodes, where key electron exchange processes occur.

The researchers worked to improve the performance of cathodes based on a particular lithium-iron-oxide compound. In 2023, they reported a promising cathode material, Li₅FeO₄, that exhibits a high capacity using iron and oxygen redox reactions. However, its development encountered problems associated with the production of oxygen during charging-recharging cycling.

“We have now found that the cyclability could be significantly enhanced by doping small amounts of abundantly available elements such as aluminum, silicon, phosphorus, and sulfur into the cathode’s crystal structure,” says Associate Professor Hiroaki Kobayashi at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University.

A crucial chemical aspect of the enhancement proved to be the formation of strong ‘covalent’ bonds between the dopant and oxygen atoms within the structure. These bonds hold atoms together when electrons are shared between the atoms, rather than the ‘ionic’ interaction between positive and negatively charged ions.

“The covalent bonding between the dopant and oxygen atoms makes the problematic release of oxygen less energetically favorable, and therefore less likely to occur,” says Kobayashi.

The researchers used X-ray absorption analysis and theoretical calculations to explore the fine details of changes in the structure of the cathode material caused by introducing different dopant elements. This allowed them to propose theoretical explanations for the improvements they observed. They also used electrochemical analysis to quantify the improvements in the cathode’s energy capacity, stability and the cycling between charging and discharging phases, showing an increase in capacity retention from 50% to 90%.

“We will continue to develop these new insights, hoping to make a significant contribution to the advances in battery technology that will be crucial if electric power is to widely replace fossil fuel use, as required by global efforts to combat climate change,” Kobayashi concludes.

The next phase of the research will include exploring the challenges and possibilities in scaling up the methods into technology ready for commercialization.

Scientists have discovered $540 billion worth of ‘white gold’ sitting underneath a huge lake.

Located in southern California, Salton Sea is the largest in the state and sits on a lithium reservoir.

While scientists knew that the chemical element was there, they didn’t know just how much lithium was beneath the lake – and the true amount is pretty astounding.

Last year, it was revealed that there could actually be a staggering 18 million tons of lithium – also referred to as ‘white gold’ due to its value and appearance – rather than the previously thought figure of four million tons.

For context, this would be enough to power more than 382 million batteries for electric vehicles.

The true figure was discovered in a study funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) which researched the Salton Sea to try analyze just how much lithium is underneath the huge body of water.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has previously described the Salton Sea as the ‘Saudi Arabia of lithium mining’ – and it’s now understandable why.

In light of the new discovery, it makes the California-based reservoir the largest in the world.

As of last year, one metric ton of lithium was worth around $29,000.

With that figure in mind, Salton Sea could be sat atop of $540 billion worth of goods.

One of the study’s 22 authors, Michael McKibben, a geochemistry professor at the University of California, Riverside, said of their findings: “This is one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world.

“This could make the United States completely self-sufficient in lithium and stop importing it through China.”

Others in the industry have hailed the finding as ‘huge’.

Sammy Roth, climate columnist for the Los Angeles Times, said on KJZZ radio’s The Show: “It’s been known for a long time that there’s a whole bunch of lithium in this super heated underground pool, sort of deep beneath the the southern end of the Salton Sea.”

Roth continued: “There have been companies for decades, actually that have been trying to get lithium out of there, and especially in the last decade as electric vehicles and energy storage on the the power grid become such a big need.

“But this this new report out of the federal government it’s really a sort of eye popping number. They found that there’s potentially enough lithium down there to supply batteries for 382 million electric vehicles, which is more, more vehicles than there are on the road in the United States today.

“So, if we could get all that lithium, that’d be huge.”