Lithium-metal breakthrough may double EV battery life, boost retention

A South Korean research team at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) has developed a novel solvent-free, roll-based transfer printing technology that significantly enhances the stability of lithium-metal batteries, potentially doubling their lifespan. By applying an ultra-thin (5 μm) hybrid protective film composed of ceramic and polymer layers directly onto lithium anodes, the team effectively prevents the formation of dendrites—needle-like structures that cause short-circuits and safety hazards in high-capacity batteries. In tests, these protected lithium anodes retained 81.5% of their initial capacity after 100 charge-discharge cycles and maintained 74.1% capacity even under rapid nine-minute discharges, demonstrating more than twice the stability of unprotected cells and a Coulombic efficiency of 99.1%. This breakthrough addresses a major barrier to commercializing lithium-metal batteries, which offer up to ten times the theoretical capacity of conventional lithium-ion batteries and are critical for next-generation solid-state and lithium-sul