Korean researchers have launched a new era for electric vehicle (EV) battery technology by solving the long-standing dendrite problem in lithium-metal batteries. Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, which have a maximum range of 600 km, this new battery can achieve a range of 800 km on a single charge, a lifespan of over 300,000 km, and a charging time of just 12 minutes. The study was published in the journal Nature Energy.
(From left in the front row) Dr. Hyeokjin Kwon from Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Professor Hee Tak Kim, and Professor Seong Su Kim from Mechanical Engineering. Image Credit: KAIST
A joint research team from KAIST and LG Energy Solution has developed a new "cohesion-inhibiting liquid electrolyte" technology that dramatically increases the performance of lithium-metal batteries.
Lithium-metal batteries substitute the graphite anode used in standard lithium-ion cells with lithium metal. This modification, however, presents a significant technical hurdle—the growth of dendrites. These tree-shaped lithium deposits develop on the anode surface during charging and degrade the battery’s performance and stability.
The dendrite effect intensifies during high-speed charging and may lead to internal short-circuits, creating significant challenges for developing rechargeable lithium-metal batteries capable of operating under fast-charging conditions.
The FRL joint research team discovered that the root cause of dendrite formation during rapid charging is a lack of uniform cohesion on the lithium metal surface. To solve this, they developed a "cohesion-inhibiting new liquid electrolyte."
The new liquid electrolyte's unique anion structure has a weak binding affinity to lithium ions, which minimizes the non-uniformity of the lithium interface. This effectively suppresses dendrite growth even during rapid charging.
This technology overcomes the slow charging speed—a major limitation of existing lithium-metal batteries—while maintaining a high energy density. It enables a long driving range and stable operation even under fast-charging conditions.
The four years of collaboration between LG Energy Solution and KAIST through FRL are producing meaningful results. We will continue to strengthen our industry-academia collaboration to solve technical challenges and create the best results in the field of next-generation batteries.
Je-Young Kim, CTO, LG Energy Solution
Hee Tak Kim, Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, noted, “This research has become a key foundation for overcoming the technical challenges of lithium-metal batteries by understanding the interfacial structure. It has overcome the biggest barrier to the introduction of lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles.”
Journal Reference:
Kwon, H., et al. (2025) Covariance of interphasic properties and fast chargeability of energy-dense lithium metal batteries. Nature Energy. doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01838-1