Battery Power - November/December 2012 - (Page 28)

Industry news Perfect Lithium’s New Processing Technology Makes Battery Materials Cheaper, Faster and Longer Lasting Perfect Lithium Corp. is on the verge of a processing technology for all present and future high-energy-density cathode materials that will drive down costs and boost the performance of lithium-ion batteries typically used in portable electronics such as cellular phones and tablets, as well as in electric vehicles and industrial energy storage applications. Batteries are essentially limited by the capabilities of the energy storing metals that go into them. Perfect Lithium has developed a cost reducing method of producing these materials that store more energy for all conceivable formulations of cathodes and anode, the positive and negative terminals of a battery that carries ions between the two electrodes through the electrolyte. The traditional solid state synthesis method used to produce battery electrode materials typically involves incremental steps of crushing, grinding, milling, blending and heating lithium and other metals into fine powders, which can take four to five days. Perfect Lithium’s chemical synthetic method of blending and preparing lithium-ion materials uses standard equipment found in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, lending itself to continuous flow production and cutting processing production times down to as little as one day. Perfect Lithium’s process also leads to a unique nano-structure in the material that enables electrolytes to penetrate deep into the material and amplify capacity, energy density and the flow of ions. At Perfect Lithium’s research facility in Charlotte, N.C., the company is already confident in its scalable approach. Perfect Lithium has produced kilogram sized batches of cathode powders that measure 15 to 30 percent higher energy densities than commercial grade materials. The faster process could potentially cut manufacturing costs in half. Additional testing in 2012 is expected to yield further gains in energy density as well as processing cost reductions. In lithium-ion batteries, the cathode is the most expensive active component comprising 23 percent of the cost of battery cells and 11 per cent of typical electric vehicle batteries, according to a research report by Deutsche Bank. A recent Yano Research Institute report projected that the global lithium ion battery market could reach $37 billion by 2015 and the cathode market alone could reach $6.5 billion. provide significant insight into enhancing energy output and duration for electric vehicles and power generation. This technology is increasingly being used in medium-to-large energy storage solutions for emergency power back-up systems in commercial, community and residential applications. Johnson Controls Agrees to Withdraw Lead-Processing Operations from its Shanghai Battery Plant Johnson Controls, Inc. will remove lead-processing operations capabilities from its Kangqiao battery plant in response to the Shanghai Municipal government’s initiative to remove lead manufacturing from the community. The company will discontinue its attempts to resume any lead-processing production activities in the facility, and will remove associated equipment. Storage, labeling, prepping and shipping of batteries manufactured in other facilities will continue. “China is an important market and Johnson Controls is committed to supporting our customers in the China market,” said Alex Molinaroli, president, Johnson Controls Power Solutions. “While we are disappointed with the local government’s position, and we stand by our environmental performance, we will continue to transparently work with governments and the industry to address environmental requirements. We are committed to assisting in the establishment of responsible performance standards across the industry while responding to the needs of our customers, our employees and the community.” “Our employees are extremely important to us and we are doing everything we can to help those who are impacted by the change in operations,” said Molinaroli. “We are working with interested employees to determine the possibility to transfer to other Johnson Controls facilities. We are offering severance packages that are well above legal requirements, and we also are providing outplacement and counseling services,” said Molinaroli. Customers will not be impacted by this operational decision, as lead-processing manufacturing from the Kangqiao plant has already been redirected to other Johnson Controls facilities in China. Electrochem Offers Expanded Power Solutions; Retires Micro Power Brand EnerDel Expands Research Partnership with Purdue College of Technology EnerDel, Inc. is expanding its relationship with Purdue University’s College of Technology with a gift of lithium-ion battery technology, research data and technical expertise to train students in the latest energy storage technologies for electric vehicles and the electric grid. EnerDel, which is working with several students in Computer and Information Technology (CIT) with Purdue computer and information technology professor Eric Dietz, is providing lithiumion cells and research data valued at more than $263,000. EnerDel engineers and Purdue graduate students work together to analyze and interpret key battery data, which could Electrochem Solutions, Inc., a subsidiary of Greatbatch, Inc. has completed the integration of Micro Power Electronics, Inc., following Electrochem’s acquisition of the company in December 2011. The Micro Power brand has retired and the unified organization will move forward as Electrochem Solutions, Inc. The integration has significantly enhanced Electrochem’s product portfolio, providing a greater range of customized total power solutions including battery packs, charging systems, docking stations and power supplies, enabling the success and performance of its customers’ critical market applications. With the combined dedication, credibility and expertise from both organizations, Electrochem will aggressively expand its presence in the portable medical market, and stay positioned in key market sectors of energy, military and environmental. 28 Battery Power • November/December 2012 www.BatteryPowerOnline.com http://www.BatteryPowerOnline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Battery Power - November/December 2012

Battery Power - November/December 2012
First ABB DC Fast Charger for Electric Vehicles in The US Installed and Operational in Wisconsin
Powering the Next Generation of Consumer Mobile Devices
Cleaner Manganese to Improve the Safety and Performance of Li-Ion Batteries
Ultrasonic Metal Welding Foils to Tabs for Li-Ion Battery Cells
Batteries
Charging & Testing
ICs & Semiconductors
Components
Power Supplies
Industry News
Marketplace
Calendar of Events

Battery Power - November/December 2012