Optimizing a Potassium-ion Electrolyte for Revolutionary Automotive Batteries

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Program:
EVs4ALL
Award:
$2,587,618
Location:
Palo Alto, California
Status:
SELECTED
Project Term:
TBD
Website:
TBD

Project Innovation + Advantages:

Project K is developing and commercializing a potassium-ion battery, which operates similarly to lithium-ion batteries. During discharge, potassium ions move from the negative graphite electrode through the electrolyte—a liquid combining organic solvents, conductive salts, and specialty additives—to the positive electrode, which uses a Prussian blue analog. Potassium ions can move through the electrolyte much faster than lithium ions. Additionally, the thermodynamics of the reaction of potassium with graphite allows much higher currents to be applied to the cell. These two fundamental properties of the potassium-ion system allow it to charge much faster than lithium-ion batteries while also enabling operation at reduced temperatures.