Южнокорейские ученые создали твердый электролит, предотвращающий возгорание литиевых батарей при механическом повреждении

Published in Advanced Materials, the polymer-ceramic composite suppresses dendrite formation - the mechanism that triggers thermal runaway when lithium cells are crushed or punctured in waste handling. Researchers at Chonnam National University in South Korea have developed a solid-state electrolyte that suppresses dendrite formation in lithium-metal batteries, achieving over 1,000 hours of stable cycling in laboratory tests. The study, published in Advanced Materials earlier this month, reports a layered composite material that prevents the internal short circuits responsible for battery fires. The problem it aims to address is when lithium batteries charge, tiny metallic spikes called dendrites can grow inside the cell. If a battery is then crushed or punctured - as routinely happens in collection vehicles and sorting equipment - the spikes pierce the barrier separating the cell's positive and negative sides, causing a runaway chemical reaction that generates intense heat and its own oxygen supply, making the resulting fire extremely difficult to extinguish. Battery fires in the UK waste system have risen sharply. The National Fire Chiefs Council reported over 1,200 fires in bin lorries and waste sites in the year to May 2024, a 71 per cent increase on the 700 recorded in 2022. In November 2025, London's four largest waste authorities and several waste management organisations wrote jointly to government citing an ESA and Eunomia estimate that annual costs had exceeded £1 billion - up from £158 million when the two organisations first calculated the figure in 2021. Batteries are estimated to cause 48 per cent of all waste fires in the UK. Conventional lithium-ion cells use liquid electrolytes that are flammable and allow dendrites to grow unchecked. The Chonnam team's design replaces the liquid with a solid membrane whose central layer is reinforced with ceramic particles coated in a compound inspired by mussel adhesive proteins - the mechanism mussels use to bond to rocks underwater. Soft outer layers maintain electrode contact while the hard core resists dendrite penetration. In full-cell tests, the composite retained more than 80 per cent of its capacity after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles. When the researchers built a thin, flexible battery using the new material, it continued to power an LED light after being folded and partially cut - the kind of physical abuse a cell might encounter during waste compaction or shredding. "Our electrolyte is designed for next-generation lithium-metal batteries that can enable longer driving ranges for electric vehicles, safer batteries, and long-cycle-life grid-scale energy storage," said Prof Mincheol Chang, who led the research at Chonnam National University's Department of Polymer Engineering. UK responses have focused on consumer disposal behaviour. The National Fire Chiefs Council and Recycle Your Electricals launched a joint campaign in 2024 after estimating that more than 1.1 billion electricals containing lithium-ion batteries had been binned in a single year. Nearly half of adults surveyed did not know that rechargeable batteries can catch fire when crushed. Solid-state alternatives remain at laboratory stage, with commercial production at the scale needed to displace liquid-electrolyte cells expected to take several years. Phil Clark, the NFCC's emerging energy technologies lead, has said that while fires involving lithium-ion batteries are "a disaster waiting to happen," they remain "preventable by correctly and carefully disposing of electricals." resource.co article ai How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK? There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.