US scientists design next-gen EV batteries without 'forever chemicals'

Increased battery demand for EVs and energy storage will likely escalate PFAS usage, a problem this research directly addresses.

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Aman Tripathi

The new solvents performed as well as, or better than, existing PFAS-based electrolytes.

UChicago PME

Researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) have developed two new families of PFAS-free solvents.

This development could pave the way for safer and more efficient next-generation electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

While batteries are crucial for advancing sustainable energy technologies, their production often relies on materials that contribute to long-term environmental contamination.

This breakthrough aims to preemptively address the environmental hazards associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals,” which are increasingly prevalent in battery manufacturing.

The research was led by Amanchukwu, Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering, and PhD candidate Peiyuan Ma.

Their findings detail the creation of partially fluorinated non-PFAS solvents for lithium-ion batteries and entirely nonfluorinated solvents for lithium-metal batteries, respectively.

“We need next-generation batteries, but for most of the current research, they are using PFAS,” said Peiyuan Ma, PhD’24.

“That’s why we started doing our research, to give people at least a chance to use the non-PFAS materials.”

The team’s work directly confronts the growing concern that as battery demand surges to support the EV and grid-level energy storage sectors, so too will the use of PFAS.

These chemicals, known for their persistence in the environment and potential health risks, pose a significant challenge to sustainable technology development.

“To address our needs as a society for electric vehicles and energy storage, we are coming up with more environmental challenges,” said Amanchukwu.

“You can see the dilemma.”

The researchers focused on replacing the small but critical amounts of PFAS used in current battery designs, particularly in the cathode binder and electrolytes.

Their new solvents demonstrated performance comparable to, and in some cases exceeding, PFAS-based electrolytes.

The research focused on understanding the fundamental interactions between battery materials and solvents.

Through this analysis, the team determined that the superior performance of batteries does not necessitate the use of PFAS.

The nonfluorinated lithium metal battery designs exhibited superior ion pairing and capacity retention, while the lithium-ion designs showed enhanced cycle life, rate capability, and stability across a wide temperature range.

“The lithium-ion designs, meanwhile, showed longer cycle life and better rate capability over commercially available batteries,” explained the researchers in a press release.

“They showed stable cycling at temperatures from 60 to negative 40 degrees Celsius.”

Amanchukwu also highlighted the environmental and economic advantages of this approach.

“There’s risk we take bringing new materials to market in general, regardless of environmental regulations,” he said.

“But there’s even greater risk to bringing a new material to the market with the possibility that somebody might say in 10 years or 15 years, ‘This is illegal. You can’t make this anymore.’”

By providing viable, high-performance alternatives, the UChicago PME team aims to shift the industry away from reliance on PFAS.

Their goal is to transform “forever chemicals” into “never chemicals” and ensure a more sustainable future for battery technology.

Aman Tripathi An active and versatile journalist and news editor. He has covered regular and breaking news for several leading publications and news media, including The Hindu, Economic Times, Tomorrow Makers, and many more. Aman holds expertise in politics, travel, and tech news, especially in AI, advanced algorithms, and blockchain, with a strong curiosity about all things that fall under science and tech.

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Aman Tripathi