Chinese Academy of Sciences solid-state battery achieves 700-cycle fast-charging performance. Image enhanced by CNC. Understand China EV’s Market Real-time notifications when critical EV data is released All important data in one place 2,000,000+ data points Become a member Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences said they developed a high-energy solid-state lithium-metal battery that achieved an energy density of 451.5 Wh/kg while maintaining stable cycling under ultra-fast charging conditions, reports IT-home. According to the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the research was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society under the title “Polymer-modulated solvation chemistry via compatibilizing-solvent plasticization for stable high-energy lithium metal batteries.” Tackling polymer electrolyte limits The research focused on polymer electrolytes based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a material widely studied for solid-state batteries because of its oxidation stability and ionic conductivity. Researchers said conventional plasticisers used in PVDF electrolytes often suffer from poor electrochemical stability, leading to continued decomposition at the electrode interface and limiting compatibility with lithium metal anodes and high-voltage cathodes. To address this issue, the team developed a “compatibilizing-solvent plasticization” strategy. The process introduces a volatile compatibilizing solvent that temporarily improves compatibility between the polymer and stable plasticisers during electrolyte preparation. As the solvent evaporates during film formation, the plasticiser remains locked inside the polymer network. The researchers said this approach enabled the formation of a stable lithium fluoride-rich interfacial layer while reducing side reactions at both electrodes. 700 cycles at 20C charging rate According to the paper, the battery maintained stable cycling for 700 cycles with 81.9% capacity retention when paired with a 4.7V high-nickel cathode under a 20C rate, equivalent to roughly three-minute charge and discharge cycles. The team also demonstrated an ampere-hour-level pouch cell using a thin lithium metal anode with an N/P ratio of 1.1. The pouch cell achieved an energy density of 451.5 Wh/kg, significantly above the 200 Wh/kg of current commercial lithium iron phosphate (LFP) EV battery cells. The pouch cell also passed a nail-penetration test, which the researchers described as demonstrating high intrinsic safety. Industry races toward 500 Wh/kg The latest result adds to a growing number of solid-state battery announcements from Chinese battery companies and research institutes. Ganfeng Lithium said its 400 Wh/kg solid-state battery exceeded 1,100 cycles and completed engineering validation, while a 500 Wh/kg-class 10 Ah product entered small-scale production. Earlier in May, Chinese startup Pure Lithium said its solid-state battery continued operating after a cut test while its production capacity reached 500 MWh annually. Several Chinese battery suppliers are also targeting commercialisation milestones between 2026 and 2027. CATL previously disclosed trial production work for 500 Wh/kg solid-state cells, while companies including Sunwoda and Farasis Energy announced 400–500 Wh/kg development targets. Top 10 EV battery makers’ share of the LFP market in China. Credit: China EV DataTracker LFP market remains dominant China’s EV battery market remains heavily dominated by LFP chemistry despite accelerating research into solid-state batteries, according to China EV DataTracker. CATL remained the largest supplier in China’s LFP battery market, with 19.53 GWh installed in the latest reported period, representing a 38.9% market share. BYD ranked second with 10.49 GWh and a 20.9% share. Gotion High-tech recorded 4.03 GWh of installations and an 8.0% share, followed by CALB with 3.32 GWh and Eve Energy with 3.02 GWh. Rept Battero Energy reached 2.14 GWh, while Zenergy recorded 1.91 GWh and Energee 1.83 GWh. Sunwoda reported 1.47 GWh of LFP installations, with a 2.9% market share, while continuing development of solid-state batteries. Yinpai Battery rounded out the top 10 suppliers with 0.9 GWh. Several mid-sized suppliers posted strong year-on-year growth. Rept Battero Energy increased installations by 45.6% YoY, Zenergy rose 57.9%, and Yinpai Battery more than doubled with 109.3% YoY growth.
+27 others
