Battery technology start-up Silatronix has signed a definitive agreement to be bought by Koura, a fluoroproducts and technologies development, manufacture and supply firm, that is part of Orbia.
The Wisconsin, US-based Silatronix develops electrolytes, including fluorosilane additives, for lithium-ion batteries with support from the Department of Energy and the Office of Naval Research.
Silatronix was established in 2007 as a high-tech incubator for battery technology by Dr. Robert West and Dr. Robert Hamers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Koura is a global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of fluoroproducts and works with lithium-ion battery industry researchers to develop and manufacture advanced fluorine materials including electrolyte salts, binders and high-performance electrolyte additives.
Gregg Smith, president of Koura, said his firm was committed to developing next- generation battery technologies and the buy-out of Silatronix was expected to further enable those goals.
Koura and Orbia has led a $70 million investment round in Battery Resourcers, a closed-loop lithium-ion battery recycler based in Massachusetts, US.
Koura is engaged in initiatives with Battery Resourcers to develop recycling technologies, which the Silatronix team will also support.