Altech Chemicals Limited (ASX: ATC) has signed a collaboration agreement with a leading silicon producer to collaborate in developing a high capacity, long cycle life silicon anode active material targeted for use in lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.
The silicon company is a leading producer of silicon metal with a proven ability to create new solutions and applications using state-of-the-art technology to drive innovation.
It has technologies to produce high purity grade silicon with the flexibility to offer customised solutions to meet the increasing demands being placed on silicon from new applications such as the Li-ion battery; and is specifically developing tailor made silicon powders for the anode of Li-ion batteries.
Alumina coating of silicon particles have the potential to solve the three major issues for silicon application in the Li-ion battery: expansion induce fragmentation, poor cyclability; and low initial Coulombic Efficiency (CE).
A combination of the competencies and technologies of both companies offers tremendous potential and a potentially compelling solution for the industry.
At the recent battery day, electric car company, Tesla announced its goal to leverage silicon anode technology and to manufacture Li-ion batteries internally. The company stated that silicon solutions should be expected to dominate the battery market over the next five to seven years, as silicon has almost ten times the (theoretical) capacity compared to carbon-based materials, at some 3500mAh/g.
Next to its superior electrochemical performance, silicon is also the most abundant material on earth after oxygen, eliminating potential shortage issues. However, there are currently three key impediments to be overcome in order to propel silicon’s commercial application in Li-ion battery applications:
- Intrinsic volume changes of 300% or more during battery charge and discharge, leads to poor cyclability performance;
- Unstable formation of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) due to interaction between Si surface and electrolyte.
- Low Initial Coulombic Efficiency (CE), that is, high capacity loss on first battery cycle.
Altech is developing Anode Grade HPA and coating technology for the purpose of applying the coating to graphite particles that are typical of those currently used in the anode of the Li-ion battery. Both companies believe that the same technology can be applied to Silicon Co’s Li-ion battery silicon powders.
Under the collaboration agreement, both companies will analyse the possibility of using Altech’s HPA and technology to coat specifically designed silicon particles supplied by the silicon company. Altech will supply the coating technology and sole fund the test work.
