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Australia’s Archer in Uni R&D partnership for batteries

Australian mining firm Archer Exploration has signed an R&D agreement with the University of New South Wales to focus on carbon-based energy storage technology.

The cooperation will develop graphite and graphene-based materials for lithium-ion batteries— “potentially generating technologies and patents that have commercial applications in reliable energy”, Archer said.

Archer Exploration

R&D

University of New South Wales

Energy storage

graphite

graphene

lithium-ion batteries

Australian graphite firm joins UK’s Faraday Battery Challenge

Australian graphite producer Talga Resources is to collaborate on work including cell production with partners under the UK’s Faraday Battery Challenge R&D programme.

Talga said it has signed formal agreements through its UK subsidiary, Talga Technologies, to work on initiatives including battery pack design and assembly.

Hype— the secret ingredient of ultra fast charging

The race to bring fast charging to the mobile phone market through new battery developments reached a new peak last week with Samsung and relative newcomer Enervate using consumer electronic marketing and hype to bring their products to the global stage.

Enervate, the Irvine California developer of a silicon anode based battery system, was chosen by the gargantuan Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show which takes place in early January as an ‘honouree’ in three categories — Vehicle Intelligence & Self-Driving Technology, Eco-Design and Sustainable Technologies, and Tech for a Better World — for its “groundbreaking” silicon-dominant lithium-ion battery technology.

Enervate

fast charging

Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show

lithium-ion batteries

samsung

graphene

SiNode joins EV battery tech partnership

Chicago-based lithium-ion battery developer SiNode Systems has teamed up with Pittsburgh firm PPG to “accelerate the commercialisation” of high-energy anode materials for advanced battery applications in electric vehicles.

The 30-month project will focus on “improving the stability and scalability” of SiNode’s anode materials to meet or exceed US Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) targets for a battery’s active materials, the companies said.

SiNode Systems

PPG

USABC

United States Council for Automotive Research

Carbon company builds graphene anode for lithium-ion batteries

Carbon materials company Saint Jean Carbon has started to design and build a graphene based lithium-ion battery.

Following two years of research, the company has created an anode using a one atom thick layer of single graphite to add conductivity while reducing the amount of carbon used.

Chinese lithium firm diverges into lead-acid

New-energy vehicle firm China Dynamics is aiming to research and develop graphene lead-acid batteries, according to reports.

The Chinese company has signed an agreement with electric vehicle and advanced battery company Shanghai Xinchi Energy Technology.

Skeleton Technologies launches 4500 farad ultracapacitor series

European firm Skeleton Technologies’ is closer to reaching it 20Wh/kg goal with the launch of an ultracapacitor range utilising graphene to boost energy density.

The patented graphene material boosts the capacitance of the SkelCap 4500 series to 4500 farads.

The series has been designed for mass-market applications and meets the industry standard of a 60 mm diameter cylindrical cell.

europe

Skeleton Technologies

ultra capacitor

graphene

BlueVine scales up graphene production for supercapacitors

US-based startup BlueVine Graphene Industries (BlueVine) is to scale up the production of graphene for commercial applications such as the company’s supercapacitors.

The company has developed scalable graphene electrodes, which can be customised to unique customer applications. The scale-up is also aimed to provide pricing advantages.

supercapacitor

graphene

lithium-ion battery

Grafoid acquires li-ion battery maker Braille Battery

Canada’s graphene products developer Grafoid has bought lithium-ion automotive battery maker Braille Battery.

Grafoid acquired 75% ownership interest in US-based Braille Battery, which produces lightweight lithium-ion batteries and AGM lead-acid batteries for IndyCar, NASCAR, Formula 1 racing cars, motorcycles and batteries for the marine industry. Braille Battery’s founder Blake Fuller will remain president and chief operating officer.

Samsung invests in graphene manufacturer XG Sciences

XG Sciences have several advanced graphene and battery materials demo projects running

Samsung Ventures Investment Corporation has invested in the Michigan, US, -based graphene engineering company.

The lithium-ion giant is providing XG Sciences with investment as part of a funding round to further the company’s R&D efforts. The terms of the investment have not been disclosed.