Though they aren’t quite ready for use in production all-electric vehicles just yet, many view solid-state batteries as the future, given the fact that they show a lot of promise in terms of being lighter, offering greater energy density, and providing more range at a lower cost when compared to more traditional lithium-ion or lithium-iron phosphate batteries. That’s precisely why Ford and a variety its rivals and EV battery manufacturers are investing heavily in solid-state batteries – a list that includes Ford EV partner SK On, which just achieved a notable breakthrough pertaining to that technology.
SK On has been working on a solid-state battery research project in conjunction with a number of Korean universities and institutions, filing patents for many of those findings along the way. The study with Dr. Jin Ho Kim’s group at the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology focuses on the use of ultrafast photonic sintering technology in the manufacturing of oxide-rich inorganic-organic composite hybrid solid electrolytes. It is regarded as groundbreaking for applying photonic sintering technology, traditionally used in printed circuit board manufacturing, to the development of ASSBs.
ASSBs replace the liquid electrolytes found in conventional lithium-ion batteries with solid electrolytes. These solid electrolytes are broadly categorized into sulfide-based, oxide-based, and polymer-based types. To enhance lithium-ion transport pathways and mechanical strength, oxide-based electrolyte materials typically require high-temperature heat treatment at over 1,000 degrees Celsius for more than 10 hours. However, productions costs, along with challenges such as brittle fractures have posted significant obstacles to scalability.
As such, SK On explored photonic sintering due to its advantages in speed and low-temperature heat treatment as a potential solution. To optimize the photonic sintering process, the research team first identified inorganic colorants that minimize energy loss from light exposure and applied them to oxide electrolyte materials. By utilizing ultrafast photonic sintering technology, the team was able to generate a porous microstructure with optimal uniformity. The team also successfully produced a hybrid solid electrolyte by combining photonic sintering-processed oxide-based materials with a gel polymer electrolyte. Experimental results showed that batteries using this hybrid electrolyte demonstrated excellent cycle life.
SK On is developing two types of ASSBs – polymer-oxide composite and sulfide-based – with commercial prototypes expected to be ready by 2027 and 2029, respectively. The company’s solid-state battery pilot facility, currently under construction at its research center in Daejeon, Korea, is set for completion in the second half of 2025. In addition to Ford’s partnership with SK On, it has also invested heavily in another solid-state battery-focused manufacturer known as Solid Power, too.
Comment
What’s with the SK ON article? Two of the accompanying photos show Solid Power in the background. One you can see the words, the other you can see the logo. Is this really SK ON’s technology? Did you do your homework? Full disclosure: I am a Solid Power stockholder.