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Cambridge materials science spin-out Molyon is on a mission to make next-gen batteries fly
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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Malian's innovation in lithium-sulfur batteries utilizes molybdenum disulfide to improve stability, addressing current lithium-ion technology limitations.
- The startup's $4.6 million funding will support a pilot production facility in Cambridge, focusing on applications like drones and electric vehicles.
Deep dives
Next-Gen Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
Lithium-sulfur batteries offer significant advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries, including higher energy density and better supply chain resilience due to the abundance of sulfur. Current lithium-ion batteries face challenges such as high costs, reliance on rare materials like cobalt, and limited performance, which impacts the usability of devices such as smartphones and electric vehicles. Malian, a UK startup, aims to address these issues by stabilizing lithium-sulfur technology through the innovative use of metallic molybdenum disulfide (MOS2) as a cathode additive, which prevents sulfur from dissolving into the battery electrolyte. This breakthrough development promises to enable lithium-sulfur batteries to last longer and deliver better performance, therefore making them more suitable for consumer and industrial applications alike.