Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “high cathode loading”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

CoEx Electrode Structuring for High Energy and Fast Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries

This project was a collaboration between SRI International (SRI) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) focused on advancing SRI’s CoEx technology for printing of battery electrodes with structured porosity, specifically for improving fast charging performance. Prior work funded by the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) served as proof-of-concept for CoEx printing, with the scope limited to demonstrating that CoEx structuring in the cathode would improve discharge performance. In that work, a thick cathode was paired with an anode produced through conventional means (i.e. it had no structuring), and the baseline comparison was a cell with conventionally produced cathode and anode of similar loading, along with a lower loaded cell that was intended to represent cells of typical loading. The result of that work showed that the CoEx cells had higher energy density than the thin baseline cells, due to the thicker electrode layers, and had much higher power density than the thick baseline cells at higher discharge rates, because the CoEx cathode had higher performance than the conventional cathode. In this project, we proposed to extend the CoEx technology to structure both the anode and cathode of a lithium ion battery, resulting in at least a 20% increase in energy density under fast charging conditions, while reducing costs by 15% and cutting energy usage during production.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Novel Zwitterionic Polyurethane-in-Salt Electrolytes with High Ion Conductivity, Elasticity, and Adhesion for High-Performance Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

This study presents a novel polymer-in-salt (PIS) zwitterionic polyurethane-based solid polymer electrolyte (zPU-SPE) that offers high ionic conductivity, strong interaction with electrodes, and excellent mechanical and electrochemical stabilities, making it promising for high-performance all solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). The zPU-SPE exhibits remarkable lithium-ion (Li+) conductivity (3.7 × 10⁻⁴ S cm−1 at 25 °C), enabled by exceptionally high salt loading of up to 90 wt.% (12.6 molar ratio of Li salt to polymer unit) without phase separation. It addresses the limitations of conventional SPEs by combining high ionic conductivity with a Li+ transference number of 0.44, achieved through the incorporation of zwitterionic groups that enhance ion dissociation and transport. The high surface energy (338.4 J m−2) and elasticity ensure excellent adhesion to Li anodes, reducing interfacial resistance and ensuring uniform Li+ flux. When tested in Li||zPU||LiFePO₄ and Li||zPU||S/C cells, the zPU-SPE demonstrated remarkable cycling stability, retaining 76% capacity after 2000 cycles with the LiFePO4 cathode, and achieving 84% capacity retention after 300 cycles with the S/C cathode. Molecular simulations and a range of experimental characterizations confirm the superior structural organization of the zPU matrix, contributing to its outstanding electrochemical performance. The findings strongly suggest that zPU-SPE is a promising candidate for next-generation ASSLBs.

Wang, Kun↗
DOE OSTI2021

High-performing commercial Fe–N–C cathode electrocatalyst for anion-exchange membrane fuel cells

Here, to reduce the cost of fuel cell stacks and systems, it is important to create commercial catalysts that are free of platinum group metals (PGMs). To do this, such catalysts must have very high activity, but also have the correct microstructure to facilitate the transport of reactants and products. Here, we show a high-performing commercial oxygen reduction catalyst that was specifically developed for operation in alkaline media and is demonstrated in the cathode of operating anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). With H 2 /O 2 reacting gases, AEMFCs made with Fe–N–C cathodes achieved a peak power density exceeding 2 W cm –2 (>1 W cm –2 with H 2 /air) and operated with very good voltage durability for more than 150 h. These AEMFCs also realized an iR-corrected current density at 0.9 V of 100 mA cm –2 . Finally, in a second configuration, Fe–N–C cathodes paired with low-loading PtRu/C anodes (0.125 mg PtRu per cm 2 , 0.08 mg Pt per cm 2 ) demonstrated a specific power of 10.4 W per mg PGM (16.25 W per mg Pt).

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Li 3– x Zr x (Ho/Lu) 1– x Cl 6 Solid Electrolytes Enable Ultrahigh-Loading Solid-State Batteries with a Prelithiated Si Anode

We report two new families of lithium metal chloride solid electrolytes Li 3–x Zr x (M) 1–x Cl 6 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.8; M = Ho or Lu) with ionic conductivities of up to 1.8 mS cm –1 and a low activation energy of 0.34 eV. Structural elucidation via high-resolution neutron diffraction determines the Li ion distribution in trigonal Li 3 HoCl 6 , orthorhombic-I Li 3 LuCl 6 , and orthorhombic-II Li 2.4 Zr 0.6 (Ho/Lu) 0.4 Cl 6 . The last compound exhibits well-connected Li-ion pathways and abundant Li-ion carriers/vacancies to promote diffusion. All-solid-state batteries with Li 2.6 Zr 0.4 (Ho/Lu) 0.6 Cl 6 solid electrolytes and NCM85 cathodes exhibit stable cycling up to 4.6 V vs Li + /Li, which is even preserved up to 4.8 V. Stable cathode interphases are formed for both electrolytes upon cycling to 4.3, 4.6, and 4.8 V cutoff potentials, as identified by a ToF-SIMS analysis. Solid-state cells with a prelithiated Li 0.7 Si anode exhibit a significantly increased initial coulombic efficiency of 94.5% compared to Si and a high areal capacity of up to 16.3 mAh·cm –2 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Electrochemical Nutrient Recovery for the Food–Energy–Water Nexus at Municipal Wastewater Facilities: Multivariate Analyses of Seasonal Sampling and Reactor Performance

Digester-equipped municipal wastewater facilities generate recycle streams with high nutrient loads that increase energy consumption and can cause environmental pollution. The reduction of these loads through electrochemical nutrient recovery (ENR) could enhance the food–energy–water nexus by producing fertilizer (struvite). This study investigated the recovery process through a 1 year sampling of recycle streams and the implementation of nutrient recovery. Time series analyses showed that P (as orthophosphate) concentration was time-variant in digester effluent streams, while N (as ammonia) concentration was time-variant in only the aerobic system. Furthermore, these two nutrient concentrations did not correlate in any of the recycle streams. Subsequent multivariate screening analyses identified anode type, NH 4 + concentration, cathodic potential, P concentration, and temperature as most significant for ENR. Finally, the optimum conditions of cathodic potential, anode area-to-volume ratio, and temperature applied to a real recycle stream resulted in 95% P recovery with 0.03 kWh/kg P. This energy consumption is significantly lower than process energy for conventional P fertilizers (1.1 kWh/kg P) and chemical recovery processes at scale (1.7–12.9 kWh/kg P). Overall, this study recommended specific process controls for nutrient recovery, expanded the variables evaluated for ENR, and demonstrated the ability to significantly impact energy demand associated with P-based fertilizers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

High Power Density, Carbon Neutral Electrical Power Generation for Air Vehicles

The synergistic integration of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell-Combustor (SOFC-C) with a turbogenerator (TG) will provide a very high fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency while maintaining high power-to-weight ratio during high-altitude flight. The proposed SOFC-C-TG power generation technology exceeds the REEACH technical performance targets (TPT). This unique concept addresses many of the challenges faced in all electric propulsion-based aviation. The system has high part-load efficiency (more than 65% lower heating value (LHV)) during long cruise times, load following capability, high-power capacity at high altitudes adapting to low temperatures and pressures, rapid startup time of less than 30 minutes (proven with current SOFC technology), high power density (more than 3.2 kW/kg), efficient thermal management, and a foundation for a compact, efficient electrical storage and power generation system (ESPG). The SOFC-C concept achieves the technology targets by reducing the complexity of traditional fuel cell-gas turbine hybrid systems (FC-GT). The SOFC-C does not require heat exchangers and dramatically reduces the balance of plant increasing power density and performance in efficiency. The reduction in mass through elimination of heat exchangers, external reformer, and other components dramatically decreases the overall thermal dampening of the system which enables rapid startup and load following capability. Direct control of the cathode inlet temperature of the SOFC-C enables rapid warm-up of the SOFC tubes with the ability to reach operating temperature and full power in less than 30 minutes.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2025

High Throughput Solvent-free Manufacturing of Battery Electrodes

The project goal is to develop and demonstrate an advanced solvent-free lithium-ion battery electrode process through proposed Advanced Dry Electrode Process (ADEP) equipment, which is expected to exhibit a better binder fibrillization and high throughput and suitable for high performance electrode manufacturing, and commonize the anode and cathode dry processing equipment, supply chain and operation for lithium-ion battery OEMs for replacing the solvent-based slurry casting. Our proposed approach will facilitate low-cost battery production by addressing the following gaps in present dry electrode processing: • Extend the dry electrode fabrication process to lithium-ion battery anode manufacturing • Increase the active material content for anodes and cathodes • Intensify the process through improved mixing, powder rheology and surface modifications • Enable processing of next-generation electrode materials that are not stable to solvent or ambient air exposure. The project objectives include the development of anode-compatible binder and binder fibrillization promoter for low irreversible capacity loss, low electrode binder content yet higher film mechanical strength, and the optimization of solvent-free anode and cathode process for low cost (>60% electrode cost reduction), high performance (10% increase in energy density without sacrificing cycle life) and high throughput to enable next generation lithium-ion battery electrode production. Solvent-free electrode manufacturing will also enable next-generation cell designs based on prelithiated anodes or solid-state electrolytes.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Designing Low Tortuosity Electrodes through Pattern Optimization for Fast-Charging

The development of fast-charging technologies is crucial for expediting the progress and promotion of electric vehicles. In addition to innovative material exploration, reduction in the tortuosity of electrodes is a favored strategy to enhance the fast-charging capability of lithium-ion batteries by optimizing the ion-transfer kinetics. To realize the industrialization of low-tortuosity electrodes, a facile, cost-effective, highly controlled, and high-output continuous additive manufacturing roll-to-roll screen printing technology is proposed to render customized vertical channels within electrodes. Extremely precise vertical channels are fabricated by applying the as-developed inks, using LiNi 0.6 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 O 2 as the cathode material. Additionally, the relationship between the electrochemical properties and architecture of the channels, including the pattern, channel diameter, and edge distance between channels, is revealed. The optimized screen-printed electrode exhibited a seven-fold higher charge capacity (72 mAh g -1 ) at a current rate of 6 C and superior stability compared with that of the conventional bar-coated electrode (10 mAh g -1 , 6 C) at a mass loading of 10 mg cm -2 . Finally, this roll-to-roll additive manufacturing can potentially be applied to various active materials printing to reduce electrode tortuosity and enable fast charging in battery manufacturing.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Unraveling the core of fuel cell performance: engineering the ionomer/catalyst interface

The biggest obstacle to the widespread implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is their cost, primarily due to the use of platinum catalysts. The high intrinsic catalyst activity exhibited on a rotating disk electrode (RDE) is rarely realized in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which is a long-standing challenge for PEMFCs and a cause of low catalyst utilization. To translate the high RDE performance of a catalyst into a MEA, the design of an ideal ionomer/catalyst interface is proposed: a thin, conformal ionomer film covers the maximum surface of a Pt nanoparticle and thus simultaneously maximizes catalyst utilization, (i.e., high mass activity and electrochemically active surface area) and O 2 diffusion rate (i.e., high current density performance) without compromising proton conduction. Building such an interface is a long-standing challenge due to the lack of interaction between the ionomer and catalyst particles, resulting in large ionomer agglomerates and inhomogeneous ionomer coverage over the catalyst nanoparticle, with consequent poor fuel cell performance. In this work, this ionomer/catalyst interface has been engineered, utilizing the electrostatic attraction between positively charged catalyst and negatively charged ionomer particles in a catalyst ink and preserved in a solid catalyst layer. As a result, this interface leads to previously unachieved proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance in terms of both catalyst utilization (75% vs. 45%) and peak/rated power density (i.e., 1.430/0.930 W cm -2 , H 2 /air, cathode Pt loading: 0.1 mgPt cm -2 ) for pure Pt catalysts, even better than those of Pt alloy catalysts. This work demonstrates the formation of an interface in the liquid phase (using ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering in combination with cryo-TEM, isothermal–titration–calorimetry) and the preservation of the interface in the solid catalyst layer (using TEM) and estimates the effective coverage and thickness of the ionomer film (using limiting current density, RDE and fuel cell performance).

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Understanding and Mitigating the Dissolution and Delamination Issues Encountered with High-Voltage LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4

In our initial study on the high-voltage 5 V cobalt-free spinel LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 (LNMO) cathode, we discovered a severe delamination issue in the laminates when cycled at a high upper cut-off voltage (UCV) of 4.95 V, especially when a large cell format was used. This delamination problem prompted us to investigate further by studying the transition metal (TM) dissolution mechanism of cobalt-free LNMO cathodes, and as a comparison, some cobalt-containing lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides (NMC) cathodes, as the leachates from the soaking experiment might be the culprit for the delamination. Unlike other previous reports, we are interested in the intrinsic stability of the cathode in the presence of a baseline Gen2 electrolyte consisting of 1.2 M of LiPF 6 in ethylene carbonate/ethyl methyl carbonate (EC/EMC), similar to a storage condition. The electrode laminates (transition metal oxides, transition metal oxides, TMOs, coated on an Al current collector with a loading level of around 2.5 mAh/cm 2 ) or the TMO powders (pure commercial quality spinel LNMO, NMC, etc.) were stored in the baseline solution, and the transition metal dissolution was studied through nuclear magnetic resonance, such as 1 H NMR, 19 F NMR, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Significant electrolyte decomposition was observed and could be the cause that leads to the TM dissolution of LNMO. To address this TM dissolution, additives were introduced into the baseline electrolyte, effectively alleviating the issue of TM dissolution. The results suggest that the observed delamination is caused by electrolyte decompositions that lead to etching, and additives such as lithium difluorooxalato borate and p-toluenesulfonyl isocyanate can alleviate this issue by forming a firm cathode electrolyte interface. This study provides a new perspective on cell degradation induced by electrode/electrolyte interactions under storage conditions.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Solvent-Free Manufacturing of Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes via Cold Plasma

Slurry casting has been used to fabricate lithium-ion battery electrodes for decades, which involves toxic and expensive organic solvents followed by high-cost vacuum drying and electrode calendering. This work presents a new manufacturing method using a nonthermal plasma to create inter-particle binding without using any polymeric binding materials, enabling solvent-free manufacturing electrodes with any electrochemistry of choice. The cold-plasma-coating technique enables fabricating electrodes with thickness (>200 μm), high mass loading (>30 mg cm -2 ), high peel strength, and the ability to print lithium-ion batteries in an arbitrary geometry. This crosscutting, chemistry agnostic, platform technology would increase energy density, eliminate the use of solvents, vacuum drying, and calendering processes during production, and reduce manufacturing cost for current and future cell designs. Here, lithium iron phosphate and lithium cobalt oxide were used as examples to demonstrate the efficacy of the cold-plasma-coating technique. It is found that the mechanical peel strength of cold-plasma-coating-manufactured lithium iron phosphate is over an order of magnitude higher than that of slurry-casted lithium iron phosphate electrodes. Full cells assembled with a graphite anode and the cold-plasma-coating-lithium iron phosphate cathode offer highly reversible cycling performance with a capacity retention of 81.6% over 500 cycles. For the highly conductive cathode material lithium cobalt oxide, an areal capacity of 4.2 mAh cm -2 at 0.2 C is attained. We anticipate that this new, highly scalable manufacturing technique will redefine global lithium-ion battery manufacturing providing significantly reduced plant footprints and material costs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nonsolvating Fluoroaromatic Cosolvent Enabled Long-Term Cycling of High-Voltage Lithium-Ion Batteries with Organosulfur Electrolytes

Here, the structure–activity relationships of nonsolvating cosolvents for organosulfur-based electrolyte systems were revealed. The performance of nonsolvating dilutant fluorobenzene (FB) was compared to various fluorinated ether dilutants in high-voltage electrolytes containing a concentration of 1.2 M LiPF 6 dissolved in fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), ethyl methyl sulfone (EMS), and the dilutant. In a high-voltage and high-loading LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811) full cell configuration, the organosulfur-based electrolyte containing FB dilutant enabled superior electrochemical performance compared to the electrolytes using other nonsolvating fluorinated ether formulations. Moreover, the FB-containing electrolyte exhibited the highest ionic conductivity and lowest viscosity among all organosulfur-based electrolytes containing nonsolvating dilutant. These improvements are attributed to the enhanced physical properties of electrolyte and lithium-ion mobility. Furthermore, by employing first-principles simulations, the observed suppression of side reactions at high voltage is linked to FB’s lower reactivity toward singlet dioxygen, which is likely produced at the NMC interface. Overall, FB is considered an excellent diluent that does not impede cell operation by mass decomposition at the cathode.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Structured for success: conjugated polymer binders with tailored composition and architecture for lithium-ion batteries

Conjugated polymer binders are replacing conventional binders in lithium-ion batteries. Herein, we examine how molecular engineering and hierarchical nanostructuring govern binder functionality and electrochemical performance. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are the leading energy storage technology, yet enhancing their energy density and cycle life remains critical. Significant progress has been made in high-capacity anodes and high-voltage cathodes, but their performance is hindered by electrode degradation, where it is related to the behaviors of binders at the surface and interface. Conventional non-conductive binders like poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF), combined with conductive additives, often fail to maintain electrical pathways under repeated volume changes. Alternatively, conjugated polymer binders have emerged as a superior alternative, simultaneously offering intrinsic conductivity, mechanical flexibility, and strong adhesion through π-conjugated backbones and functional groups. Their tunable molecular structure enables efficient electron/ion transport while mitigating electrode cracking. Additionally, the development of hierarchically ordered nanostructures in conjugated polymer binder can further enhance their electrochemical performance. This review examines the design principles of conjugated polymer binders, focusing on molecular engineering and nanostructural control to optimize their performance in high-loading electrodes, such as silicon-based anodes. By addressing key challenges in binder functionality, these advanced materials pave the way for next-generation high-energy-density LIBs.

Jin, Xiuyu↗
DOE OSTI2023

Scalable Metal Phosphides as a Dual-Function Catalyst and Lithium–Metal Stabilizer for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Although lithium-sulfur batteries are a promising approach for achieving high energy density, their commercial viability is limited by poor sulfur redox kinetics, polysulfide shuttling, and lithium metal instability. To resolve these issues concurrently, we utilize titanium phosphides (TiP x ) as dual-function materials to catalyze the sulfur redox kinetics at the cathode and stabilize the lithium metal at the anode. Importantly, these phosphides are synthesized via a facile, highly scalable one-step mechanochemical ball-milling process that does not generate toxic phosphine gas as a byproduct, making it more viable compared to traditional synthesis routes. At the cathode, we find that higher phosphorus contents in the phosphide as in TiP 2 leads to superior redox kinetics and reduced polysulfide shuttling due to improved polysulfide adsorption ability. Meanwhile, at the anode, TiP 2 acts as a lithiophilic seed in a 3-dimensional carbonaceous host that can be lithiated to form a Li-TiP 2 /C composite. This composite alleviates the volume changes of lithium metal while utilizing TiP 2 to form a more favorable solid-electrolyte interface (SEI). Full coin cells employing TiP 2 in the cathode and anode were assembled with a sulfur loading of 4 mg cm -2 and a negative to positive capacity (N/P) ratio of 6. After 50 cycles, the TiP 2 full cells retain a higher capacity of 643 mA h g -1 compared to 422 mA h g -1 for the conventional cell, despite the higher N/P ratio of 12 for the conventional cell. Altogether, we showcase the viability of employing metal phosphides as catalysts in practical lithium-sulfur batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Reversible (De)Intercalation of Hydrated Zn 2+ in Mg 2+ -Stabilized V 2 O 5 Nanobelts with High Areal Capacity

The rechargeable aqueous zinc ion battery (ZIB) is regarded as one of the most promising candidates for large-scale energy storage applications due to its low-cost and eco-friendly properties. However, the development of a suitable cathode operating with high areal capacity and uncovering the relevant reaction mechanisms remain challenging. Herein, the application of Mg 0.26 V 2 O 5 ∙0.73H 2 O (MVO) nanobelts as a ZIB cathode is demonstrated. In situ FT-IR reveals the shift of OH stretching from 3350 cm -1 to 3200 cm -1 , corresponding to the hydration shell of Zn 2+ , while in situ Raman suggests the interlayer charges creening effect, which would boost the intercalation of hydrated Zn 2+ . Density function theory reveals that the hydrated Zn 2+ can lower the Coulombic repulsion at the electrode-electrolyte interface and circumvents the desolvation penalty of hydrated Zn 2+ during the (de)intercalation process. Additionally, excellent structure stability and large interlayer spacing guarantee the highly reversible (de)intercalation of hydrated Zn 2+ . Therefore, the MVO nanobelts exhibit a high areal capacity of 2.12 mAh cm -2 at 0.05 A g -1 , outstanding cycling stability of 2500 cycles at 10 A g -1 with a mass loading of 5 mg cm -2 . Finally, it is believed that the use of hydrated intercalation charge carriers will boost further studies in other multivalent rechargeable batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

3D Printed, Low Tortuosity Garnet Framework For Beyond 500 Wh/kg Batteries

In this project, we developed LLZO garnet ink recipes and processes for 3D-printing highly ordered ionically conductive garnet porous structures on dense garnet separators. Using this technique, we are able to fabricate controlled architecture LLZO garnet solid-state electrolyte (SSE) trilayers for application in solid-state lithium batteries. The trilayer comprises a thin dense center layer sandwiched between a 3D-printed patterned porous layer and a random porous layer. The dense layer functions as the ionic separator between the anode and cathode. The random porous layer hosts the lithium-metal anode and provides the structural support. The 3D-printed SSE patterned porous layer hosts the cathode, providing continuous, low tortuosity pathways for fast 3D Li+ transport through the cell while increasing the electrode/electrolyte interface area to decrease the interfacial resistance. Compared to the random porous structure, this ordered patterned structure possesses more vacant space for higher cathode loading without sacrificing ionically conducting capability, thus potentially greatly increasing the cell energy density. For demonstration purposes, we developed two patterns for the 3D-printed porous layer: grids and columns, for hosting sulfur and NMC cathode, respectively. The corresponding two types of cells were fabricated and tested, and have demonstrated achievement of theoretical discharge capacity without cathode calendaring. In addition, we developed a fundamental solid-state ionic and electronic transport model to optimize the 3D-printed structures for maximum energy and power density. The model was validated by experiment and provides the critical design criteria for achieving the >500 Wh/kg energy goal as function of C-rate.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Design and Fabrication of a Thyristor Using Ion Implantation of Anode and Cathode

A thyristor is a solid-state semiconductor switch made up of four alternating p and n type layers. When the switch is turned on by a small pulse, current can flow as long as the device stays on. When the voltage drops below the turn on level or the current reverses, the switch will turn off. Thyristors only allow current to flow in one direction. One of the benefits of a thyristor device is in its capacity to conduct large voltages with a small device and a small turn-on pulse requirement. Another distinguishing feature of thyristors compared to other semiconductor devices is that it can only be in the on or off state, there’s no in-between state for the device to exist within. These properties make thyristors very useful as switch devices, especially in applications where current flow is only needed in one direction and could potentially be damaging in the opposite direction. Currently, thyristors are most commonly used to control very high power loads and they are available commercially in many designs to control different amounts of current.

42 ENGINEERING↗