Startup Ionic Materials invented a new polymer battery

If the statement of Ionic Materials proves true, then such batteries can replace expensive and dangerous lithium-ion batteries. These are smartphones, electric cars, energy storages for solar and wind power stations and many other areas. Ionic Materials is positioning its invention precisely as an alternative to Li-Ion.

According to the company, the new polymer lithium-metal batteries:
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• safer;
• more durable (in the sense of greater energy density per unit mass and volume);
• cost-effective (simpler and cheaper continuous production process, similar to the production of plastic packaging).

The official presentation of Ionic Materials batteries will be held at the conference in honor of the 35th anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Institute, but so far little is known about them. The website in the " Technology " section shows the following battery characteristics:

• electrical conductivity up to 1.3 millimensmens per cm at room temperature;
• the number of transport of lithium ions is 0.7;
• high voltage (5 V).

Newspaper The New York Times published an article about the company and these revolutionary batteries, which in the article for some reason are called "alkaline" (alkaline). At the same time, the company’s website repeatedly emphasizes that the batteries are made on the basis of solid polymer.

Nevertheless, the article has value: The New York Times journalist talked with the company's founder and executive director, scientist Mike Zimmerman.


Mike Zimmerman, founder and CEO of Ionic Materials, in his laboratory in Woburn, Massachusetts, drives nails into batteries. Photo: Tony Luong / The New York Times

At the moment, the startup investor is William Joy, a famous computer designer from Silicon Valley. In September 2016, the company received a $ 3 million Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) grant from the US Department of Energy for development.

Reportedly, Ionic Materials has already manufactured prototypes of polymer batteries that can withstand "up to 400 charge-discharge cycles." The company is working to increase this figure three times.


Zimmerman said that at first the batteries will be heavier than lithium-ion batteries, but with a higher energy density. In the new polymer there is no cobalt, which is used in traditional Li-Ion batteries. The polymer is made of aluminum and other common materials.

The development of a new polymer took four years, and the first demonstrations of the company Ionic Materials began last year. For example, in December, Zimmerman himself held a demonstration , hammering thick nails into the prototype with an ax.


Photo: Tony Luong / The New York Times

Polymer batteries have particularly great potential in electric vehicles. Not surprisingly, Ionic Materials technology is discussed on the Tesla forums . A suspicious topstarter asks, what does Ilon Musk think of “the most innovative technology of future batteries”? These batteries use a flame retardant polymer instead of a traditional electrolyte. That is, in the car, in principle, it is impossible to blow up or ignite the batteries, which has already happened with Tesla machines. In addition, these batteries can double the capacity of batteries in Tesla cars due to the doubled energy density, that is, electric cars can travel many hundreds of kilometers from a single charge. Why not Tesla Motors to invest in this firm.

The forum is still skeptical of technology. Too well it sounds in advertising statements on the official site. The question arises: what's the catch? Each technology has not only advantages, but also disadvantages, and here it seems that there are no disadvantages.

It’s another thing if Ionic Materials sent a real sample of its battery for testing in the car, but then it would be another matter, you could think about the investment and the potential for future use of this great technology. If it is really real. But for now, Ionic Materials' polymer batteries look too implausible. Another magic technology that supposedly solves all problems.

Even if the batteries are really invented, there is probably some flaw in them: either they will be very expensive, or they will have few charge / discharge cycles, or something else.