Battery Technology News From Sionic, Group14, And Paraclete -

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The vast majority of lithium-ion batteries today use graphite for the anode (negative terminal). It works fine but there is a problem. 95 percent of the graphite used in batteries in the world comes from China or Chinese-owned companies. This makes it difficult to create battery supply chains that meet restrictions on graphite from China that is included in electric vehicle incentives in the United States and other countries. Group14, based in Washington state, says it has developed an anode material it calls SCC55 that uses silicon instead of graphite. Not only does this eliminate these supply chain issues, it increases energy density by up to 42 percent and reduces charging times to 10 minutes or less.

In an email to Clean Technicaofficial spokesman Group 14 “With China controlling 95% of global graphite production for electric vehicle batteries and recently moving to restrict exports, G14’s ability to completely replace graphite with silicon could fundamentally reshape global battery supply chains,” he said. “It’s not just about improving battery performance; It’s also about energy independence and while other companies have tried for decades to replace graphite with silicon entirely, stability issues have made this not possible – until now Group14 has not only solved this technical challenge. Indeed, it already manufactures its solutions at scale. Group14 is building the world’s largest factory for advanced silicon battery materials in Moses Lake, Washington.

“The implications are transformative. Battery makers can eliminate reliance on graphite completely while achieving 42% higher energy density. Manufacturers can produce batteries domestically using Group14’s synthetic materials, rather than relying on imports. The technology works with existing manufacturing processes, enabling Rapid Adoption Group14 is building factories across the US, Europe and Asia to enable regional production It’s a compelling story of how scientific innovation can free the battery industry from its dependence on one dominant supplier.

Silicon Battery Technology Group14

In a press releaseGroup14 says its investors and clients include Porsche, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, OMERS, Lightrock Climate Impact Fund, Decarbonization Partners, Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), BASF, Resonac and SK Inc. In the same announcement, Sionic Energy, the leading company. Lithium-ion battery manufacturers no longer need to rely on graphite for their anodes, a company in electrolyte and silicon battery technology said. By using Group14’s 100 percent silicon-carbon SCC55 composite as the anode material, Sionic says it can deliver the highest energy density performance of any silicon battery. Sionic’s silicon battery platform is designed for seamless integration into any existing lithium-ion battery manufacturing process, maximizing the performance of the silicon material in terms of energy density, extended cycle life, and fast charging rates.

Powered by Group14’s SCC55 technology, Sionic’s 100% silicon batteries are designed to achieve a specific energy performance of at least 330 Wh/kg and an energy density of at least 842 Wh/L, demonstrated with a cycle range of up to 1,200 full cycles at 4 amps. to 10Ah cell formats. The Sionic platform is also being verified with a 20A cell format designed to deliver a power density of 370 Wh/kg and 1000 Wh/L. These battery cells are expected to ship to customers starting in 2025. Sionic’s silicon battery platform accommodates cylindrical, bag and prismatic cell formats, enabling the company’s platform licensing model to accelerate and scale adoption in major commercial markets.

“Having worked extensively with many leading silicon materials in our product designs over the past several years, we selected Group14 as a best-in-class performer to launch our silicon battery platform,” said Ed Williams, President and CEO of Sionic Energy. . “Group14 customers continue to raise the bar on battery performance, and we are thrilled to support Sionic silicon batteries with an anode fully powered by Group14’s SCC55,” added Dr. Rick Costantino, co-founder and CTO of Group14 Technologies, the world’s largest global company. Manufacturer and supplier of advanced silicon battery materials.

As the industry seeks to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries, silicon has emerged as the main material for anodes, facilitating next-generation battery construction. Sionic aims to bring to market a best-in-class silicon material integrated into Sionic’s silicon battery platform, which includes advanced anode, electrolyte and cell technologies. This collaboration is designed to deliver market-leading performance across the transportation, consumer electronics and aviation industries. The high energy density levels are expected to be particularly welcomed by companies involved in bringing electrification to the aircraft industry.

Paraclete goes to group 14 better

Clean Technica Readers know that we receive more announcements of battery hacks every week than sunflowers in Tuscany. last press release The one that hit the telegram machines in our call center recently came from Paraclete energylocated in Chelsea, Michigan, claims that its proprietary SILO Silicon, highly conductive, polymer matrix technology provides a power density that is up to 300 percent greater than graphite and 200 percent higher than competing silicon anodes. (Group 14 would likely disagree with this statement.)

Batteries using SILO Silicon are 33 percent less expensive per kilowatt-hour than traditional carbon-based products such as graphite. Paraclete Energy’s distributed manufacturing capability allows production plants to be located near or at a customer site, further enhancing efficiency and reducing costs, the company says. A recent study showed that SILO Silicon technology can reduce the weight of batteries by 50 percent while doubling the driving range.

“As a company dedicated to pushing the boundaries of battery innovation, our latest study underscores SILO Silicon’s potential to redefine the electric vehicle landscape,” said Jeff Norris, CEO of Paraclete Energy. “Our data-driven approach not only shows significant reductions in battery weight and size, but also a significant increase in driving range. These advances meet important consumer demands for more efficient, affordable and sustainable electric vehicles.”

The comprehensive study reveals that the use of SILO Silicon allows the size of a standard 80 kWh battery pack to be reduced from approximately 7,000 battery cells weighing 565 kg to less than 2,000 battery cells weighing only 150 kg. This 73 percent weight reduction significantly improves the vehicle’s performance and efficiency while still achieving the same driving range. Furthermore, a 300kg battery pack using SILO Silicon delivers 160kWh of power, effectively doubling the standard driving range from 290 miles to over 580 miles while reducing battery weight by 50 percent.

SILO Silicon’s technology directly addresses two of the most pressing barriers to electric vehicle adoption – cost and range anxiety. By reducing the size and weight of battery packs, manufacturing costs are significantly reduced, while improved energy density ensures longer driving distances. These results position SILO Silicon as a pivotal technology in accelerating mainstream adoption of electric vehicles. “We believe that SILO Silicon not only meets but exceeds industry standards, providing a viable path forward for electric vehicle manufacturers seeking to deliver superior products to consumers,” Norris added.

Will any of these announcements translate into better batteries with higher energy density, lower cost and longer range? maybe. Our research librarian found several stories about silicon anodes dating back at least three years. When we know more, you will know more.