Increasing the actual energy density of Sb-based liquid metal battery

Abstract

Liquid metal batteries with the all-liquid structure and inorganic electrolyte have overcome the performance degradation mechanism of conventional Li-ion batteries, making them highly competitive in the field of grid-level stationary energy storage. In recent years, researchers have been improving the material system of liquid metal batteries, but their actual energy density is still far from the application. To address this issue, this work has constructed a 400 Ah-level Sb-based liquid metal battery with an actual energy density of 135 Wh kg−1. The improvement strategies include increasing the areal capacity, reducing electrolyte weight, increasing the Sb content in the cathode, and optimizing the structural components. The large capacity and satisfactory actual energy density can further accelerate the application of liquid metal batteries in grid-scale energy storage.