South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution (KRX:373220), Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), and Sungkyunkwan University jointly developed an electrolyte technology that improves both low-temperature performance and thermal safety in lithium-ion batteries.

The new electrolyte maintained 87% capacity after 100 cycles at -20°C and reduced thermal runaway by over 90%, outperforming existing materials, LG Energy Solution said in a Monday release.

The new research uses Allyl Trimethyl Phosphonium (APT) ionic compounds to improve ion mobility and stabilize interfaces. It combines LG Energy Solution's manufacturing expertise with academic research, and could boost next-generation battery applications, which comprise ultra-low-temperature and silicon-anode batteries, it said.