Toyota Announces 4-layer All-solid-state Battery

Toyota Motor Corp unveiled a prototype of its all-solid-state battery Nov 18, 2010, in Japan. It is a laminated cell measuring about 10 x 10cm.

Four sets of positive electrode layers, solid electrolyte layers and negative electrode layers are laminated, and the average voltage of the cell is 14.4V (3.6V x 4). Because Toyota exhibited the cell right after it was charged, it output a voltage of 16.26V (4.065V per layer).

The positive electrode, negative electrode and solid electrolyte of the prototyped cell are made by using lithium cobalt dioxide (LiCoO2), graphite and sulfide, respectively.

Toyota is actively engaged in the development of all-solid-state batteries and lithium-air batteries as next-generation batteries. Especially, when an all-solid-state battery is in an ideal state, its lithium spreads faster than electrolyte, making it theoretically possible to realize a high output power.

Furthermore, all-solid-state batteries are safer than organic electrolytes, which burn at high temperatures. And because they do not contain a liquid material, their packages can be simple.

Toyota Announces 4-layer All-solid-state Battery -- Tech-On!