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UCSB researchers test new battery tech that could replace traditional lithium-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries power electronics from phones to laptops.
ucsb.edu / Tyler Lastovich from Unsplash
Lithium-ion batteries power electronics from phones to laptops.

In a new study, UC Santa Barbara researchers test safer, more efficient alternatives to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries, which power technology from phones to electric vehicles, use liquid electrolytes that can overheat and catch fire. Solid-state batteries, on the other hand, use non-flammable solids instead– making them safer, more compact and longer lasting.

According to a paper published in ACS Materials Letters, UCSB Materials and Mechanical Engineering Professor Jeff Sakamoto tested a solid state electrolyte material called LLZO. He added small amounts of aluminum or gallium to see how they affected the battery’s ability to move and store energy.

Aluminum improved battery stability but slowed performance, while gallium sped up energy flow but reacted poorly with lithium metal over time.

Sakamoto said the results will help researchers eventually build solid-state batteries that are both stable and durable.

“In the end, it wasn't overall bad news that the ceramic electrolyte wasn't stable,” Sakamoto said. “We just learned the limits.”

According to Sakamoto, solid-state batteries can hold twice as much energy as traditional lithium ion batteries. They’re smaller, more compact and stay safe even at higher temperatures.

KCBX Reporter Amanda Wernik graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a BS in Journalism. Amanda completed a data fellowship with the USC Center for Health Journalism in 2023 and is set to begin law school in fall 2025.
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