USABC awards $4M to SiNode Systems to develop advanced silicon-graphene anode materials for EV batteries
20 June 2016
The United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC (USABC), a collaborative organization of FCA US LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors, awarded a $4-million contract to SiNode Systems Inc. for development of advanced anode materials for automotive lithium-ion battery applications. The competitively bid contract award is 50% cost share-funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE).
The 30-month program will focus on the development of silicon-graphene high-energy anode material appropriate for vehicle applications and the development and scale-up of pouch cells that exhibit anode performance metrics that exceed the minimum USABC targets for active materials development for electric vehicles.
SiNode Systems is pleased to be a recipient of this grant and is proud to contribute to USABC’s battery technology research and development programs. We believe our advanced anode materials technology will be an enabler in improving the performance and reducing the cost of advanced batteries for vehicle electrification.
—Samir Mayekar, Co-Founder and CEO of SiNode Systems
SiNode technology utilizes a composite of silicon and graphene in a layered structure to deliver leading performance while overcoming well-known technical hurdles to silicon anodes such as volumetric expansion and unstable SEI leading to poor cycle life.
The SiNode materials architecture disperses silicon nanoparticles within a flexible 3D graphene network. The flexible 3D graphene network stabilizes the Si active material during charge and discharge, leading to minimal volume change during cycling. The graphene also offers enhanced electronic conductivity.
SiNode’s micron-size silicon particles provide higher rate capabilities due to shortened Li ion diffusion pathways.
The technology was developed, optimized, and patented by the SiNode team working in collaboration with researchers at Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory.
|
|
| Illustration of the silicon-graphene proprietary architecture. Sheets of graphene are shown buffering Si volume expansion/contraction during charge and discharge. Credit: SiNode Systems. Click to enlarge. |
SiNode says that its technology demonstrates a 43% energy density (Wh/L) improvement over leading artificial graphite; a 42% specific energy (Wh/kg) advantage over leading artificial graphite; and a 47% advantage in volumetric capacity over competitor Si technologies.
USABC is a subsidiary of the United States Council for Automotive Research LLC (USCAR). Enabled by a cooperative agreement with the US DOE, USABC’s mission is to develop electrochemical energy storage technologies that support commercialization of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric and fuel cell vehicles. In support of its mission, USABC has developed mid- and long-term goals to guide its projects and measure its progress.
Is USABC's main goal still the same? Use as much Government grants and time to delay the arrival of improved batteries and e-vehicles?
Posted by: HarveyD | 20 June 2016 at 08:19 AM
LOL Nice, Harvey!
Posted by: DaveD | 20 June 2016 at 01:51 PM