US firm Silatronix has raised cash in new equity capital to help push its lithium-ion organosilicon (OS) material to a global customer base.
The Madison, Wisconsin, based company raised $8m from the company’s existing investors and two strategic partners, Japan’s Hitachi Chemical and Inabata & Co.
These funds and partnerships will allow Silatronix to push commercialisation of its portfolio of OS materials aimed at the lithium-ion electrolyte market.
Silatronix claim their technology is thermally stable up to 100°C, has an electrolyte flash point above 100°C, and is voltage stable up to 5.0V, which enables high voltage cathode materials to achieve higher energy density.
Inabata will exclusively distribute the OS materials to customers across Asia.
Meanwhile, Silatronix and Hitachi will jointly investigate the performance benefits of a number of OS additive materials in lithium-ion, especially anode materials.
Silatronix’s first commercial product, OS3, for lithium-ion electrolytes inhibits breakdown of LiPF6, is thermally and electrochemically stable, and has minimal side effects on battery performance, say the firm.
Last year the company received $1.3 million in funding from the US Department of Energy to demonstrate the capabilities of a battery electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries.
Silatronix lead the study to prove out its technology, which aims to make lithium-ion batteries safer and more powerful.
