Quarterly Activities Report
Perth, Oct 29, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - During the quarter, Altech Chemicals Ltd (
ASX:ATC) (A3Y:FRA) reported on the advances that the Company had made with its potentially game changing technology to enable metallurgical grade silicon to be combined with graphite as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries. The material has the potential to increase lithium-ion battery chargeability, life, performance and safety.
Tesla, at its 2020 battery day announced that the required step change to increase lithium-ion battery energy density and reduced cost, would be realised by the inclusion of more silicon in battery anodes. For this to be achieved, high energy capacity metallurgical silicon needs to be introduced into anode chemistry, as silicon has ten times the energy retention capacity compared to the incumbent anode material - graphite. In the words of Elon Musk, "this is the most promising anode material".
However, metallurgical silicon is currently not used in lithium-ion battery anodes due to two major technological challenges. Firstly, silicon expands up to 300% in volume during battery operation causing swelling, fracturing and battery failure. The second challenge is that silicon deactivates up to 50% of the lithium ions in a battery. Known as first-cycle-capacity-loss, lithium ions are rendered in-active by the silicon during the battery's initial charge cycle, immediately reducing battery performance and life. Industry is in the race to resolve these technical challenges, as the prize for the first to succeed would be substantial.
Altech managing director Iggy Tan commented that "The Company believes that its nano technology which coats silicon particles with a fine layer of alumina will resolve both the swelling and first-cycle-capacity-loss problems that currently limit the use of metallurgical grade silicon in lithium-ion battery anodes. Research and development conducted by Altech has shown extremely promising results, initial battery testing was encouraging and further testing is ongoing. The Company is rapidly gaining confidence in its potentially game changing alumina coating technology. A video update can be viewed on the Company's web site www.altechchemicals.com".
To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/I1M3113K
About Altech Batteries Ltd
Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC) (FRA:A3Y) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS ("Fraunhofer") to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY(R) Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.
The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery, with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech's land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.
| ||
|
