WRC.net.pl and "semiconductor batteries". Marcin Zabolski, this is weak [column]

"Sensation! With this new technology, Toyota will change the course of history. Elon Musk or VW can only dream of this. Diesel has run out”says the headline on WRC.net.pl. And this subtitle: "Why Solid State Batteries are Revolutionary?"

Well, let's take a look at this revolution ...

Summary instead of introduction

Table of contents

• Summary instead of introduction
• Semiconductor batteries, i.e. Elon Piemo, Tesla boss
  • Liquid electrolytes and solid electrolytes - why do we want to move away from liquids and use solids?
  • Solid electrolytes are a screen that blocks lithium dendrites.
  • And where in all this can Toyota only dream of Elon Pimo's accomplishments?
  • Are Solid Electrolyte Cells Revolutionary?

The author of WRC.net.pl has no idea what he is writing about, and the careless translation makes the readers of the portal, who would like to demonstrate their knowledge, ignorant. The creator of the text also appears to be unaware of the history and recent events that may have influenced the Nikkei reports.

Solid-state batteries were supposed to be officially presented by Toyota at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the event was postponed, so the presentation was also postponed.

Finally, it should be emphasized that Toyota is only says and still nothing did not present. He's working with CATL, he's working with Panasonic, but none of those movies have even written about solids yet. In a word: the text of WRC.net.pl is a sensational text with serious factual errors in the content.

Now let's explain all this step by step:

Semiconductor batteries, i.e. Elon Piemo, Tesla boss

The author of the text on WRC.net.pl, probably Marcin Zabolski (this comes from the url), it probably threw the article in Google Translator and then it went downhill:

Well solid state battery it is not a "solid state battery". Yes, the electrolyte contained in it should be characterized by the conductivity of a semiconductor, but this is a very wide range and is not particularly important in this context. With this definition A liquid electrolyte battery is also a "semiconductor battery".because liquid electrolytes have similar conductivity, at least in terms of units.

Automatically superimposed semiconductors (silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, etc.) are of little importance in this battery, even if silicon (ionic) is used in the ceramic electrolyte. because We are not talking about these semiconductors at all..

Well, "solid state" in the meaning of battery means "steady state" and A solid state battery is a battery with an electrolyte that is in a solid state.those. it is neither liquid nor gas. More precisely: a battery based on solid electrolyte cells.

Not a "semiconductor", but a "solid", not Elon Musk, but Elon Musk... Anyone who does not understand the difference between these translations is unlikely to understand why this issue is so important.

Liquid electrolytes and solid electrolytes - why do we want to move away from liquids and use solids?

To understand why solid electrolytes are so important, we need to remember one important fact: liquid electrolytes are used in modern lithium-ion cells... In addition, they are based on flammable solvents.

Let us emphasize this: the electrodes between which large charges flow are immersed or at least in close contact with combustible materials. When a short circuit occurs in a lithium cell - and this is possible under certain conditions; we will talk about them a little later - the electrolyte can catch fire even in a closed container. Because oxygen is already in the solvent molecule.

Flammable liquid, sparks, oxygen, fire ... Is it clear now?

Explosions in Tesla, crashed into a tow truck. All passengers managed to escape from the car

Oh, and may this offer from WRC.net.pl not affect you:

Semiconductor batteries are expected to replace lithium-ion batteries that use aqueous electrolyte solutions.

Here the poem was also developed by Google Translate because the author only made a slight abbreviation (after Nikkei):

It is expected that semiconductor batteries will become a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries that use aqueous electrolyte solutions.

Above water research with electrolytes is still underway while commercially used cells are electrolytes liquidnot water. Nikkei became a little faster, Google translator dutifully translated, the author of WRC.net.pl did not even notice the problem.

But back to the main thread:

Solid electrolytes are a screen that blocks lithium dendrites.

In the case of solid electrolytes, there is a solid layer between the electrodes.. She experimented with different relationships. To date, sulfides and ceramics seem to be the most promising - you can see them in the photos below (transparent cuboid and flexible white card):

We need solid electrolytes because when we want to quickly charge a lithium-ion cell (after all, no one wants to bloom for hours with a charger!), We can cause lithium dendrites to grow. Liquid electrolytes, even enclosed in a polymer sponge, do not prevent the expansion of structures. When the powerful lithium dendrites in the liquid electrolyte cell are long enough, they can short-circuit both electrodes:

We already know the rest: flammable liquid, spark, fire ...

meanwhile solid electrolytes act as armor, a shield separating the two electrodes... Lithium dendrites have no chance of growing because they are held back by a solid electrolyte. The lithium crystal will not break through, the lithium ion will pass through it without any major problems. That's why with solid electrolyte, it is very important that it is solid (solid state).

Just to translate the term correctly, you need to understand how a lithium-ion battery works.

And where in all this can Toyota only dream of Elon Pimo's accomplishments?

To quote WRC.net.pl again:

When will Toyota showcase its disruptive technology? Toyota will do so in 2021 when it unveils a prototype.

First things first: Nikkei announced that the prototype will be unveiled in 2021. And ... there is nothing extraordinary in this, because the presentation of the Toyota prototype with a solid-state battery was supposed to take place already in 2020, which we have known for two years:

> Toyota solid-state batteries at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. But what is Dziennik.pl talking about?

The games were postponed, there were other problems in the world, and the presentation was also postponed. Covid-19 has not made it through many industries. And when will solid electrolyte vehicles hit the market? WRC.net.pl continues:

(...) in 2021 when the prototype will be presented. Serial production is to follow shortly thereafter. (…) If Toyota does start selling electric vehicles with semiconductor batteries, probably in 2022, it could crush competitors offering electric vehicles.

“Shortly after”, what exactly when? WRC.net.pl writes about “the beginning of the 20s of the 2022 century”, although he already knows the approximate date (“probably 7 years”). Meanwhile, a Toyota spokesperson says the following (from 30 pm):

We expect to introduce the first mass-produced solid-state electric vehicle in the first half of the 2020s.

So, the translation into Polish:

Went to present the first mass-produced electric vehicle with solid electrolyte batteries in the first half of the twenties [because the first half of 2020 has already been - ed. editor www.elektrowoz.pl].

A Toyota spokesman makes it clear that from 2020 to 2025, there will be a show of cars with solid-state elements. This is not about going to market, although we would love to hear that. It also does not talk about production, although that would require only a small correction to the spoken sentence ("we are going to start mass production in ...").

Sorry about "probably in 2022", we will not mention this again.

So when will the mass production of vehicles with solid electrolyte batteries take place? The industry is skeptical, with even startups showing prototypes of such cells claiming they will appear in cars in a few years:

> Solid Power: We can start selling solid elements in 2021. In cars? In 2026-2027.

Meanwhile, Toyota has not presented anything yet, but only since 2017 "plans" the presentation of cars with solid-state batteries (see, for example, HERE). Such statements are hard to believe.

Are Solid Electrolyte Cells Revolutionary?

Yes they.

Thanks to the solid electrolyte, they can be charged with high power without worrying about lithium dendrites. High charging power means less charging time.

Thanks to the solid electrolyte, it will be possible to dispense with the use of graphite or silicon as anodes. Without graphite / silicon anodes, more space will be allocated to lithium, the presence of which determines the capacity of the battery. The solid electrolyte and the more lithium, the greater the capacity of the batteries..

We have prepared a more extensive overview of the topic based on the QuantumScape presentation:

> 80 percent in 15 minutes "href =" https://elektrowoz.pl/magazyny-energii/quantumscape-podalo-dane-ogniw-solid-state-ladowanie-4-c-wyrzymuja-25-c-0-80-proc -w -15 minutes / "rel =" bookmark ">QuantumScape provided solid state data. Charge 4 C, withstand 25 C, 0-> 80%. in 15 minutes

We believe that it was the QuantumScape presentation along with the enthusiastic experts that became the main motivator for the Nikkei. Because, again, Toyota has been mostly announces i promisesmeanwhile QuantumScape presented parameters готов solid elements. We wrote about this directly with a link to the Nikkei article, which was used by the author of WRC.net.pl:

> QuantumScape has hit the market. Solid Power and Toyota are also planning breakthroughs

That's all …

Author's note: As a [probably already a former?] Journalist, it hurts me to write like this without understanding the subject. Working in the media should be a mission based on ethics and knowledge. I'll be tempted to fight for click-throughs, because it is, after all, the publisher's profit. but the lack of any competence in the topic at hand is dangerous. Today this author writes nonsense about batteries, and tomorrow he will hire people to sow pro or anti-government propaganda. He will take all the money he gets for the wallpaper.

And in no case will a warning light come on in his head that he is describing a topic that he has no idea about.

I think some sites should be ordered to post an annotation: “You are reading at your own risk and we cannot guarantee that any information provided is correct. " As far as Toyota is concerned, I would have expected an attempt to take over a solid-state startup.

Opening photo: beginning of the article described in the content (c) WRC.net.pl

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