Longer range may soon be coming to EVs.
Bilal El-Zahab, associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering at Florida International University, explores durable lithium-sulfur batteries.
Dr. Bilal El-Zahab is an Associate Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Florida International University, where he serves as Graduate Program Director and leads the university’s Battery Research Laboratory. A recognized expert in electrochemical energy storage, his work focuses on advancing next-generation battery technologies that will shape the future of sustainable energy.
Dr. El-Zahab earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Akron, followed by postdoctoral research at Louisiana State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His pioneering research portfolio includes more than 55 peer-reviewed publications and 27 issued and pending patents—many of which have been licensed internationally—underscoring the global impact of his innovations.
Over the course of his career, Dr. El-Zahab has secured more than $5 million in competitive funding from federal agencies and industry partners. Through his leadership and vision, the Battery Research Laboratory has become a hub for cutting-edge discovery, preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers to address the world’s most pressing energy challenges.
More electric vehicles are on the road than ever before. But a recent global survey found that almost half of EV owners in the U.S. have considered switching back to gasoline cars, mainly due to EV range.
Even as average ranges improve, drivers’ expectations often exceed what current batteries—predominantly lithium-ion batteries—can provide.
That’s where our breakthrough in next-generation battery technology comes in: lithium-sulfur batteries, part of the “beyond lithium-ion” family, explores alternative cathode chemistries that pair with lithium anodes for improved performance. This approach promises higher energy density, lower costs, and greater sustainability compared to traditional lithium-ion systems.
We focused on lithium-sulfur batteries, a promising alternative. They’re lightweight, cost-effective, and highly energy-dense—allowing EVs to travel farther while doubling runtime for laptops and smartphones.
But a key challenge persists: soluble sulfur species, or polysulfides, build up and dissolve from the cathode. These species migrate to areas they shouldn’t, like the anode, causing mossy deposits that reduce efficiency and accelerate degradation. After about 50 cycles, performance drops sharply.
To address this, we incorporated tiny nanoparticles of platinum group metals into the sulfur cathode.
Think of these metals as molecular safety officers, guiding ions and preventing shuttle effects at the nanoscale. Just a trace amount—about 0.02% of the battery—is enough.
With this addition, we achieved more than 90% capacity retention after 500 cycles, keeping the battery nearly as effective as new. This brings us closer to practical, long-lasting EV batteries.
Read More:
[Wiley] - Targeted Electrocatalysis for High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
[Miami Herald] - Electric vehicle range anxiety? FIU researchers develop new battery that could be a cure
