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New Electrolyte Boosts Lithium-Metal Batteries' Energy Density Over 700 Wh/kg

3/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers from Nankai University and the Shanghai Institute of Space Power-Sources in China developed a new hydrofluorocarbon electrolyte for lithium-metal batteries.
The electrolyte enables energy densities above 700 Wh/kg and functions at temperatures down to -70°C.
The study, published in Nature, shows these batteries can exceed twice the energy density of conventional lithium-ion batteries.
The approach could enable applications in electric vehicles, aerospace, and devices operating in extreme cold.

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Story summary

Researchers from Nankai University and the Shanghai Institute of Space Power-Sources in China developed a new hydrofluorocarbon electrolyte for lithium-metal batteries.
The electrolyte enables energy densities above 700 Wh/kg and functions at temperatures down to -70°C.
The study, published in Nature, shows these batteries can exceed twice the energy density of conventional lithium-ion batteries.
The approach could enable applications in electric vehicles, aerospace, and devices operating in extreme cold.