KETI develops new electrode structure

Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) has developed a new electrode structure with increased durability and decreased performance drop of batteries, the government institute said Wednesday.

Previous research focused on replacing metal foils, which are vulnerable to machine deformation, with carbon-based boards or polymer fabric coated with conductive material.

But these methods required complicated processes and were costly, while also being easily separated from the batteries and having low capacity.

KETI combined polymer fabric made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for the electrode with conductive nickel, securing a stable electrode structure.

It also substituted some of the nickel with stannum, which can store lithium to increase energy density, it said.

This allows more movements from ions and electrodes, KETI added.

The research was conducted by KETI’s Advanced Batteries Research Center head Jisang Yu as well as researcher Woo Sang-gil of the center, Professor Lee Sang-Young’s team at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technolog, Professor Jae-Hun Kim’s team at Kookmin University.

KETI is planning to research the development of an electrolyte-based flexible rechargeable batter with the new Sn/Ni applied.