Latest Research Trends and Prospects Among the Various Materials and Designs Used in Lithium-Based Batteries

Increasing energy consumption, shortages of fossil fuels, and concerns about the environmental impact of energy use, especially emissions of carbon dioxide, give fresh impetus to the development of renewable energy sources. However, many renewable energy sources, such as solar photovoltaic and wind are unavailable during extended periods of time. The generated power from these sources is always fluctuating due to the environmental status. Hence, with the advent of renewable energy, it is now indispensable that efficient energy storage systems are developed. One of the most promising storage systems to be employed in stationary energy storage applications are lithium-based batteries (LIB), mainly due to their high energy density, high power, and nearly 100% efficiency. The speed and scope of research and development of LIB make it critical for researchers to be aware of the progress in this field across different laboratories. Thus, in a first step, we aim at giving a general overview on the research activities in the field of LIB. To this end, we conduct a patent search on LIB and their main components. We identify the main fields of patent activity in LIB and give an overview on the state-of-the-art in LIB technology. In a second step and based on our first findings, we aim at forecasting possible future research trends among the various battery components, main materials, and dominant designs used in LIB.