KoreaTech Research Team Develops Technology to Enhance Secondary Battery Performance

Extending Battery Lifespan with Metal Compound Coatings
Korea University of Technology and Education research team develops electrode coating technology
Platinum, palladium, and nickel telluride coatings improve uniformity and stability

Korea University of Technology and Education announced on June 4 that a research team led by Professor Kim Seokjun from the Department of Energy and New Materials Chemical Engineering (Im Chaeyoon, Lee Gayoun, Kim Jongkyum, Choi Jungho) has developed a coating technology that can significantly extend the lifespan of lithium batteries.

The research team coated electrodes with ▲PtTe₂ (platinum telluride) ▲PdTe₂ (palladium telluride) ▲NiTe₂ (nickel telluride) to address the issue of shortened battery lifespan caused by uneven lithium plating.

A battery coated with platinum telluride at a thickness of 5nm maintained 80% of its initial capacity even after more than 450 charge and discharge cycles, recording a lifespan about 1.7 times longer than that of conventional lithium electrodes.

The nickel telluride coating also demonstrated stable performance for more than 440 cycles under similar conditions.

Positive effects were also observed in anode-free lithium-ion batteries. When using a standard copper electrode, charge-discharge efficiency dropped sharply after about 70 cycles, but the platinum telluride-coated electrode maintained an average efficiency of over 95.5% even after 120 cycles. The efficiency for palladium telluride and nickel telluride coatings was 97.6% and 97.1%, respectively.

In addition, the coatings improved plating uniformity, reduced explosion risk, and enhanced diffusion and reactivity.

In the paper, Professor Kim Seokjun stated, "This study is highly promising for commercialization, as it shows that both lifespan and stability can be improved simply by surface coating, without changing the existing battery structure," and added, "It could mark a turning point in battery technology for various fields, including electric vehicles and smart devices."

This research was published in the world-renowned materials science journal Advanced Materials on June 1.