[The energy density of lithium batteries in the future may reach 1.5 times to 2 times the current, which means that the batteries will become smaller. ]
[Lithium-ion battery cost reduction range is at most between 10% and 30%. It is difficult to halve the price. ]
From smartphones to electric cars, battery technology is gradually infiltrating every aspect of life. So, which direction will the future battery develop and what changes will it bring to society? With these questions in mind, First Financial reporter interviewed last month Akira Yoshino, a Japanese scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for lithium-ion batteries this year.
In Yoshino’s opinion, lithium-ion batteries will still dominate the battery industry in the next 10 years. The development of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things will bring “unthinkable” changes to the application prospects of lithium-ion batteries.
Unimaginable change
When Yoshino became aware of the term “portable”, he realized that society needed a new battery. In 1983, the world’s first lithium battery was born in Japan. Yoshino Akira produced the world’s first prototype of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and will make an outstanding contribution to the development of lithium-ion batteries widely used in smartphones and electric vehicles in the future.
Last month, Akira Yoshino said in an exclusive interview with No. 1 Financial Journalist that after learning that he won the Nobel Prize, he “has no real feelings.” “The full interviews later made me very busy, and I couldn’t be too happy.” Akira Yoshino said. “But as the day of receiving the awards in December is getting closer, the reality of the awards has become stronger.”
In the past 30 years, 27 Japanese or Japanese scholars have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, but only two of them, including Akira Yoshino, have received awards as corporate researchers. “In Japan, researchers from research institutes and universities generally receive awards, and few corporate researchers from the industry have won awards.” Akira Yoshino told the First Financial Journalist. He also emphasized the expectations of the industry. He believes that there is a lot of Nobel-level research within the company, but the Japanese industry should improve its leadership and efficiency.
Yoshino Akira believes that the development of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things will bring “unthinkable” changes to the application prospects of lithium-ion batteries. For example, the advancement of software will speed up the battery design process and the development of new materials, and Can affect the use of the battery, allowing the battery to be used in the best environment.
Yoshino Akira is also very concerned about the contribution of his research to solving global climate change issues. He told the First Financial Journalist that he was awarded for two reasons. The first is to contribute to the development of a smart mobile society; the second is to provide an important means for protecting the global environment. “The contribution to environmental protection will become more and more obvious in the future. At the same time, this is also a great business opportunity.” Akira Yoshino told a financial reporter.
Yoshino Akira told students during a lecture at Meijo University as a professor that given the high expectations of the public for the use of renewable energy and batteries as a countermeasure for global warming, he will deliver his own Information, including thoughts on environmental issues. ”
Who will dominate the battery industry
The development of battery technology set off an energy revolution. From smart phones to electric cars, battery technology is ubiquitous, changing every aspect of people’s lives. Whether the future battery will become more powerful and lower cost will affect each of us.
At present, the industry is committed to improving the safety of the battery while increasing the energy density of the battery. The improvement of battery performance also helps to address climate change through the use of renewable energy.
In Yoshino’s opinion, lithium-ion batteries will still dominate the battery industry in the next 10 years, but the development and rise of new technologies will also continue to strengthen the industry’s valuation and prospects. Yoshino Akira told First Business News that the energy density of lithium batteries in the future may reach 1.5 times to 2 times the current, which means that the battery will become smaller. “This reduces the material and thus reduces the cost, but there will not be a significant decrease in the cost of the material.” He said, “The reduction in the cost of lithium-ion batteries is at most between 10% and 30%. Want to halve the price is More difficult. ”
Will electronic devices charge faster in the future? In response, Akira Yoshino said that a mobile phone is full in 5-10 minutes, which has been achieved in the laboratory. But fast charging requires strong voltage, which will affect battery life. In many situations in reality, people may not need to charge particularly fast.
From the early lead-acid batteries, to the nickel-metal hydride batteries that are the mainstays of Japanese companies such as Toyota, to the lithium-ion batteries used by Tesla Roaster in 2008, traditional liquid lithium-ion batteries have dominated the power battery market for ten years. In the future, the contradiction between energy density and safety requirements and traditional lithium-ion battery technology will become increasingly prominent.
In response to experiments and solid-state battery products from overseas companies, Akira Yoshino said: “I think solid-state batteries represent a future direction, and there is still much room for improvement. I hope to see new progress soon.”
He also said that solid-state batteries are similar in technology to lithium-ion batteries. “Through the improvement of technology, the speed of lithium ion swimming can finally reach about 4 times the current speed.” Akira Yoshino told a reporter at the First Business News.
Solid-state batteries are lithium-ion batteries that use solid-state electrolytes. Because solid-state electrolytes replace the potentially explosive organic electrolyte in traditional lithium-ion batteries, this solves the two major problems of high energy density and high safety performance. Solid-state electrolytes are used at the same energy The battery that replaces the electrolyte has a higher energy density, at the same time has greater power and longer use time, which is the development trend of the next generation of lithium batteries.
But solid-state batteries also face challenges such as reducing costs, improving the safety of solid electrolytes, and maintaining contact between electrodes and electrolytes during charging and discharging. At present, many global giant car companies are investing heavily in R & D for solid-state batteries. For example, Toyota is developing a solid-state battery, but the cost is not disclosed. Research institutions predict that by 2030, global solid-state battery demand is expected to approach 500 GWh.
Professor Whitingham, who shared the Nobel Prize with Akira Yoshino, said that solid-state batteries may be the first to be used in small electronics such as smart phones. “Because there are still big problems in the application of large-scale systems.” Professor Wittingham said.
Post time: Dec-16-2019