A deal to reduce the US military’s reliance on imported lithium-ion batteries will see recycled materials used to make cells for hybrid vehicle and other military equipment applications.
Energy storage firm Navitas Systems has secured a supply of cathode active material made from recycled batteries for use in a US Department of Defense project.
1Ah cells using the recycled LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 material reached 4,200 cycles and 11,600 cycles at 80% and 70% capacity retention; meanwhile, its rate performance is 88.6% better than commercial powders at 5C.
Marc Gietter, chairman of the Military Power Sources Committee of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), said the joint effort was a significant milestone towards ultimately reducing the US military’s reliance on foreign-sourced supply chain components.
The “milestone” deal allows the companies to demonstrate how the recycling process can produce cathode active materials for use in manufacturing new lithium batteries.
The deal marks the first commercial sale of cathode active materials made using materials firm Ascend Element patented lithium-ion battery Hydro-to-Cathode recycling technology.
Ascend— previously known as Battery Resourcers— will supply Navitas (an East Penn company) with the material in April, although they are not disclosing the amount.
