The Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) claimed that using pure Silicon anode in lithium-ion battery cells is capable of increasing the energy density by 50%.
The new technology is commercialised by ECN’s spin-off company LeydenJar Technologies BV, and plan to set up a demonstration plant in the next two years.
The conventional graphite anode is replaced by a pure silicon anode, which increases the storage capacity of this component of the lithium-ion battery by a factor of 10 and the storage capacity of the whole battery up to 50%.
But silicon expands when the battery is charged and becomes three times larger, which results in the decomposition of battery material.
To create enough expanded space and stabilise the battery, ECN applies the silicon in columns onto copper foil using a plasma-based nanotechnology.
ECN researcher Wim Soppe had already discovered a 10-microns-thick material for commercial application. According to him: “The technology is extremely promising for lithium-ion batteries.”
Christian Rood, the co-founder of LeydenJar Technologies, said the technology would be focus on three market segments: EVs, consumer electronics, and renewable energy storage.
“In our future demonstration plant, we want to produce silicon anodes for our first clients and demonstrate that this technology is competitive when mass-produced.” said Rood.