Researchers at Rutgers University have developed a new three-dimensional, porous current collector designed to reduce lithium battery degradation caused by repeated charge and discharge cycles. The technology has been licensed to the US company Soteria Battery Innovation Group, which will integrate it into its shared patent platform dedicated to cell safety.
Electric cars, Rutgers and Soteria work on batteries that resist wear for longer
The problem addressed by the team led by Glen Amatucci concerns a well-known mechanism that remains difficult to counter. During every charge and discharge cycle, battery electrodes expand and contract almost imperceptibly. Over time, these repeated mechanical stresses cause microcracks and a gradual loss of contact between the electrodes and the traditional metal current collector, usually made from a compact foil. When contact deteriorates, internal electrical resistance increases, the battery generates more heat and loses capacity more quickly, with consequences for cell safety as well.
The solution developed at Rutgers replaces the conventional metal foil with a lightweight polymer structure coated with thin conductive layers. Its three-dimensional and porous architecture allows the current collector to adapt more flexibly to changes in electrode volume, keeping contact between the internal parts of the cell more stable throughout the battery’s useful life. The structure also promotes a more uniform current distribution, improves electrolyte transport through the cell and helps limit the increase in internal resistance, three factors that directly affect thermal management and long-term performance retention.
Soteria Battery Innovation Group has decided to add the technology to its Battery Safety IP Exchange, a shared licensing platform that brings together patents from universities, national laboratories, startups and established companies. The model aims to lower barriers to the industrial adoption of solutions focused on cell safety and reliability, accelerating the transition from research to production. CEO Brian Morin stressed that the current collector is one of the least visible components in a battery, but one with a direct impact on durability, performance and overall system safety.
The technology is not yet ready for industrial production, but in a sector chasing denser and longer-lasting cells, improving a normally overlooked component such as the current collector could make as much difference as the search for new chemistries.
