Swiss Holding Company Blackstone Resources has passed a series of important milestones for its proprietary 3D-printing technology for producing solid-state batteries.
The company’s German subsidiary Blackstone Technology printed and tested its first working 5×5 cm-squared pouch cell as a functioning demonstrator without a mechanical spacer.
Blackstone Technology aims to develop the manufacturing technology to enable it to produce one battery cell every second, with production costs predicted to fall to less than $65 per kWh.
The successful completion of the research and evaluating stage of the 3D screen-printing process proves a flexible method for producing all kinds of printed solid-state lithium-ion batteries, say the firm.
The three proof-of-concepts achieved were:
· The completion of a 3D-printed and mechanically stable solid-state electrolyte as a separator.
· The production of a printable composite cathode (plus the composite of a solid-state electrolyte and lithium iron phosphate)
· The complete printing process for pouch cell
The 3D-printing method allows lower costs during production, increases the energy density of the cells and offers a higher number of charging cycles.
Blackstone Technology says the technology paves the way to mass production of solid-state batteries using various cathode materials.
The 3D printed solid-state batteries are produced in water soluble chemicals.
The first large battery cells developed by Blackstone Technology were presented in February at the Blackstone Battery Day, and are ready for mass production.
Image: 5×5 cm-squared pouch cell with luminous LED