Structural Battery for Lighter Aircraft and Electric Cars

Engineering materials that can store electrical energy in structural load paths can revolutionize lightweight design across transport modes. Stiff and strong batteries that use solid-state electrolytes and resilient electrodes and separators are generally lacking. Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology  have manufactured a structural battery cell with unprecedented multifunctional performance. The cell consists of a carbon fiber electrode and a lithium iron phosphate electrode separated by a fibreglass fabric, all impregnated with a structural battery electrolyte for combined mechanical and electrical function. Equipped with these materials, lighter electrical cars, aircraft, and consumer goods can be pursued.