A team from University of California, Irvine has recently succeeded in extending batteries' life with plexiglas-like-gel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jUxX63REpw). It would be a significant breakthrough for our use of battery, once it is put into common use. However, it might never happen in reality, since such act means a huge loss, or even an end, to the whole industry.
For our environment, we need to support this project. It is more than a matter of the cost.