Electric aircraft face a unique challenge when it comes to maintaining power delivery during landing with low charge. A recent study conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in collaboration with the University of Michigan has introduced a groundbreaking battery component innovation that could address this issue effectively.
The research, published in Joule and led by Professor Venkat Viswanathan from U-M, builds upon a problem identified in a previous study from 2018. According to Viswanathan, the landing phase of electric aircraft poses a greater challenge as it requires high power while the battery is not fully charged. This necessitates minimizing resistances to ensure optimal power delivery.
Unlike electric vehicle (EV) batteries that primarily focus on maintaining range over time, the key concern for electric aircraft batteries is power fade. Youngmin Ko, the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher at Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry, highlighted the critical importance of consistently achieving high power levels for takeoff and landing in aircraft applications.
Capacity fade and power fade in batteries typically occur when lithium ions encounter difficulties moving in and out of the electrodes. While capacity fade is influenced by the quantity of lithium ions that can be transferred between electrodes, power fade is primarily affected by the speed of ion movement.
One of the main challenges leading to power fade is the accumulation of corrosion on the electrodes, which reduces the available space for lithium ions to move efficiently. By addressing this issue, the research team aims to enhance the power delivery capabilities of electric aircraft batteries, ensuring reliable performance during critical phases of flight.