Opportunities for cathodes in commercialized solid-state batteries

As vast investment continues to pour into the solid-state battery development arena, many automotive OEM’s are projecting Start of Production within the next five years. Although there is no clear winner for the solid-state electrolyte, room temperature lithium-ion conductivity comparable with that of the liquid carbonate incumbent has been demonstrated at the laboratory and pilot plant scales. There are multiple options for the anode, ranging from thin lithium metal to “anode-less” in-situ generation to carbon-free high-loading silicon. Most work on the cathode has been focused on supply for current lithium-ion battery configurations, without recognizing the huge opportunity the move to solid-state provides, enabling lithium-free and high voltage options as well as the possibility of step-change reductions in cost. This talk will provide an overview of current developments in cathodes and project likely winners as solid-state batteries near commercialization.