Drop-in Replacement Materials from Abundant Resources to Double Energy in EV Batteries

Default ARPA-E Project Image

Program:
OPEN 2018
Award:
$3,600,000
Location:
Alameda, California
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
03/01/2019 - 08/31/2023
Website:

Technology Description:

Sila Nanotechnologies will develop a class of drop-in cathode replacement materials to double the energy stored in traditional LIBs, the most popular battery chemistry used in a wide range of applications, including electric vehicles. The Sila team will replace conventional Ni and Co-based cathodes with a nanostructured composite made from abundant materials that greatly increases the battery’s energy density. Sila Nanotechnologies will pair their new cathode material with a proprietary silicon-based anode, enabling the battery to outperform current lithium-ion cells while using existing cell assembly infrastructures to reduce the cost and risk of technology adoption.

Potential Impact:

Sila Nanotechnologies’ new class of drop-in replacement materials will halve the cost of LIBs and improve cell safety and lifespan.

Security:

The project addresses the dependence of conventional LIB cathodes on Co and Ni, which suffer from limited global resources and price volatility.

Environment:

These materials will be produced from safer, less expensive, globally available resources and will contribute to accelerated adoption of electric transportation.

Economy:

When compared with graphite-metal oxide combinations used in LIBs, the proposed cells would double volumetric energy density. This improvement would reduce EVs’ battery pack cost by 2-3 times because fewer LIB cells will be required for the same energy needs.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Halle Cheeseman
Project Contact:
Dr. Sung Lim
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
slim@silanano.com

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Release Date:
12/13/2017