Solid-state batteries enabled by ultra-high-frequency self-heating

TL;DR

This paper introduces ultra-high frequency self-heating to rapidly warm solid-state batteries, significantly improving their discharge energy density without altering their structure or materials.

Contribution

It presents a novel non-intrusive self-heating method using ultra-high frequency signals to enhance solid-state battery performance at room temperature.

Findings

Rapid heating to 65°C in less than a minute

Discharged energy more than doubles at 25°C ambient

Energy consumption for heating is less than 4% of total energy

Abstract

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) are promising next-generation batteries due to their high energy density and enhanced thermal stability and safety. However, their sluggish kinetics and transport at room temperature results in high internal impedance and critically reduces the attainable discharge energy density. Taking advantage of their strong temperature-dependent ionic conductivity, here we introduce ultra-high frequency ($>10^5$ Hz) self-heating (UHFSH) of SSBs, which can rapidly warm up the batteries from room temperature to operating temperature (~65 {\deg}C) in less than a minute. As proof of concept, UHFSH experiments were conducted on symmetric solid-state cells with lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP) electrolyte with different configurations. Using an experimentally validated model, pack-level simulations predict fast heating (50 K/min) and minimized heating energy consumption (less than 4%). Without any modification of the materials or structure of the batteries, our non-intrusive self-heating strategy enables the SSBs to discharge more than two-fold energy in 25 {\deg}C ambient.