graphene

Electrolyte breakthrough suggests superior solid-state lithium-ion batteries are around the corner

A team of Brown University researchers has found a way to double the toughness of a ceramic material used to make solid-state lithiu-ion batteries

The researchers in the US infused a ceramic with graphene to increase the material’s fracture toughness in a bid to make a more robust lithium-ion battery electrolyte.

us

graphene

Brown University

ceramic

solid-state

Lithium-ion

batteries

Materials firm closes Series C funding as it prepares to expand graphene lithium-ion battery production

Graphene materials supplier Nanotech Energy has closed its Series C preferred round of funding at $27.5 million.

The final number included a “shoe” to allow for an additional $2.5 million to accommodate the oversubscription of the participation/funding round, which was expected to close at $25 million.

Sri Lanka plans to develop lead-acid battery industry using domestic graphene

Sri Lanka is gearing up to create a $ 1.5 billion graphene-based lead-acid battery industry in the country using its abundant supply of vein graphite.

Associated Battery Manufacturers Ceylon (ABM) has agreed to purchase 50% of Ceylon Graphene Technologies’ (CGT) monthly graphene output, its chief executive Manju Gunawardana told a press conference last month.

Talga and Leclanché sign MoU to trial graphene silicon lithium-ion battery anodes

Switzerland energy storage firm Leclanché will evaluate Australian firm Talga Resources’ range of graphene silicon anode products with the intention of developing commercial products for the lithium-ion battery industry.

The move follows the signing a memorandum of understanding that includes trials to run over a 2-6 month period, and indicative pricing for various volumes of Talnode supply, during the trials and over a three year period.

New CFO to ultracapacitor firm Skeleton Technologies

Graphene ultracapacitor firm Skeleton Technologies has appointed Wolfgang Breme as the company’s chief financial officer.

Breme (pictured) was appointed to help the Estonia-based firm take advantage of an “upturn in the interest for ultracapacitors”, as the company positions itself to gain a foothold in the ultracapacitor energy storage market.

Skeleton Technologies

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.