February 27, 2026: Korean battery major Samsung SDI and a joint research team at Columbia University say they have developed a new electrolyte formulation that significantly improves the lifespan and safety of lithium metal batteries.

Samsung said on February 23 the partners had published a paper on the project aimed at advancing commercialization of next-generation batteries.

The paper, in the latest edition of energy science journal Joule, said the breakthrough followed research by Samsung’s domestic research center, SDI R&D America and the university.

Lithium metal ion batteries offer the highest energy density among existing battery technologies, delivering more than 1.6x the energy density of conventional NCA lithium ion batteries, Samsung said.

However, commercialization has been constrained by a limited charge-discharge lifespan, which has typically been restricted to only several dozen cycles.

The research team significantly improved the lifespan and safety of Li-ion batteries by applying a gel polymer electrolyte, Samsung said. By developing a fluorine-based gel polymer electrolyte that forms a stable interphase on the anode surface, the team effectively suppressed dendrite formation, a key factor that has long degraded the performance of Li-ion batteries.