Battery Power - Spring 2015 - (Page 26)

New Products * Materials SolidEnergy Introduces a New Battery Material and Business Model to Disrupt the Mobile Energy Storage Industry SolidEnergy is taking a fresh approach to battery innovation made possible through its non-traditional business model. By leveraging existing Li-ion manufacturing capabilities and focusing on core battery materials rather than battery manufacturing, SolidEnergy has developed an "anode-less" battery prototype with more than 1,200 Wh/L in energy density in a fraction of the time a traditional battery company requires to develop a working prototype. Today's first generation Li-ion batteries use graphite anodes offering an energy density of less than 600 Wh/L, while emerging second generation batteries with silicon-based anodes can reach 800 Wh/L. Though third generation lithium metal batteries can deliver even greater energy density, Li-Air and Li-Sulfur batteries still remain a long way from commercialization. In addition, all-solid-state batteries are unable to operate at room temperature, making them impractical for consumer electronics and electric vehicles. In contrast, SolidEnergy's 2 Ah cells have demonstrated more than 1,200 Wh/L in volumetric energy density and high power density at room temperature validated by A123 Systems LLC. SolidEnergy accomplished this with a near "anode-less" design that consists of an ultra-thin metal anode made of thin lithium on copper, which enables ultra-high energy density, and a safe and high efficiency electrolyte, which enables high current density at room temperature. By supplying anode and electrolyte materials directly to battery manufacturers as a drop-in replacement, SolidEnergy significantly reduces infrastructure cost and commercialization time. In addition, its materials are cathode-agnostic and compatible with a wide range of mobile energy storage applications. "We estimate that global next-generation advanced battery revenue will grow from $182.3 million in 2014 to $9.4 billion in 2023. While the advanced battery industry is growing at an extremely aggressive pace with Li-ion leading the charge, there are still many problems, including high manufacturing costs and safety issues," said Sam Jaffe, principal research analyst, Navigant Research. "The opportunity for next-generation battery companies that can not only offer cheaper price points and safer chemistries, but also demonstrate improved energy density, is enormous." Arnold Magnetic Technologies Introduces BESThin Materials for Improved Energy Storage Arnold Magnetic Technologies has introduced its BESThin line of thin and ultra-thin metals for efficient battery and energy storage designs. The BESThin line, which includes nickel, aluminum and copper, enables thinner substrates to be used in battery and energy storage technologies. As the push for new battery performance materials increases, titanium and stainless steel are also being considered. These thin substrates improve storage capacity by allowing for greater energy density in a smaller system. In addition to thinness, Arnold is able to improve material performance through fine-tuned grain size and grain structure and uniform surface roughness. These optimizations allow for precise deposition of electrode materials onto the substrate. Advances in battery technology hold particular promise for the automotive and transportation industries. Smaller, lighter and more power dense designs will enable vehicles to meet stricter energy standards. Other applications that benefit from thin metal substrates include mobile devices, advanced fuel cells and photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. "Thin and ultra-thin metals play an important role in today's battery and supercapacitor technologies," said Ted Baker, General Manager of Arnold's Precision Thin Metals (PTM) division. "We're working with customers to overcome the challenges and limitations of each technology, in order to achieve more efficient electrification of their machines." 26 Battery Power * Spring 2015 www.BatteryPowerOnline.com http://www.BatteryPowerOnline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Battery Power - Spring 2015

Battery Power - Spring 2015
Batteries: An Integrated Solution
Preventing Counterfeiting: Challenges and Selection Criteria for An Ideal Authentication Solution
Extending Battery Life
Batter Management with an Intelligent Battery Sensor is Vital to The Success of Future Automotive Designs
Batteries
ICs & Semiconductors
Materials
Testing & Monitoring
Chargers
Components
Conference Preview: Critical Power 2015
Research & Development
Industry News
Application Profile
Calendar of Events
Marketplace

Battery Power - Spring 2015