Advanced High Silicone Anode Prismatic Battery Production in California
Silicon anode battery cells with safety and cycle life improvements.
American Lithium Energy Corp.
Recipient
Carlsbad, CA
Recipient Location
38th
Senate District
77th
Assembly District
$440,007
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
In 2023, American Lithium Energy achieved several key milestones that significantly advanced battery manufacturing capabilities:
1) Optimized anode, cathode, and electrolyte material, improving battery performance, efficiency, and longevity.
2) Hired battery engineers and battery assembly operators from the San Diego local area.
3) Engaged with equipment vendors and discussed equipment specifications and quotations.
4) Searched for a new building for expansion locally to scale production to meet growing demand.
In 2024, significant progress was made across multiple fronts. By October 31, 2024, the project successfully received 14 new pieces of equipment from vendors and commenced their installation and qualification within the facility. This marked a crucial step forward in enhancing our production capabilities, focusing particularly on improving production yield through rigorous controls over particle and humidity levels. Concurrently, the team is actively engaged with our diverse customer base throughout the quarter, hosting several meetings to gain deeper insights into their evolving needs. As a result of these collaborations, the project achieved notable advancements in battery technology, including reaching an energy density of 350 Wh/kg for pouch batteries and enhancing cycling life to over 350 cycles at 80% capacity. These achievements underscore our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction as the project continue to push the boundaries of technological excellence in the industry.
In 2025, the project will focus on testing several new electrode materials to optimize battery performance, with particular emphasis on enhancing battery cycle life and safety. Additionally, the project aims to complete the installation of all remaining equipment in our facility and begin ramping up production. These initiatives will support our ongoing efforts to improve product quality and meet customer demands while ensuring the safety and longevity of our battery solutions.
The Issue
Today’s Li-ion batteries primarily use graphite anode chemistry which limits the available energy density and safety characteristics. Silicon anodes are known to drastically increase energy density and energy efficiency. However, traditional silicon anode technology has not been widely adopted due to higher costs and volume expansion/contraction issues, which lower the useful life of the battery.
Project Innovation
The purpose of this Agreement is to fund the build-out of a Low-Rate Initial Production pilot line for silicon anode prismatic batteries with up to 30% greater energy capacity compared to traditional graphite-based technology. These batteries increase the lithium capacity – and therefore the energy density - of the anode by alloying lithium with silicon (Si) while still mitigating the lifecycle risks found in many Si anode technologies. This is accomplished by combining Si with oxygen, which minimizes the expansion/contraction at the particle level, and optimizing the electrode to accommodate expansion during the charge and discharging processes. This battery also incorporates a patented internal fuse, increasing the safety of the battery during short-circuit events. During the project, a production line will be built capable of manufacturing 500 cells/day while maintaining 90% yield.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
Silicon is one of the most abundant elements in the earth and, when alloyed with lithium, provides up to 30% higher energy capacity than a standard Li-ion battery. The cost of silicon is also comparable to graphite materials at scale. This will lower the overall cost of the battery and, by extension, any applications that require energy storage.
This battery technology also utilizes a patented safety technology that implements an internal fuse which delaminates the electrode from the current collector when the cell voltage, temperature, or current exceeds the safety limit.
Affordability
Silicon is one of the most abundant elements in the earth and, when alloyed with lithium, provides up to 30% higher energy capacity than a standard Li-ion battery. The cost of silicon is also comparable to graphite materials at scale. This will lower the overall cost of the battery and, by extension, any applications that require energy storage.
Safety
This battery technology also utilizes a patented safety technology that implements an internal fuse which delaminates the electrode from the current collector when the cell voltage or temperature or current exceeds the safety limit.
Key Project Members
Jignesh Parikh
Subrecipients
Mira Costa College
Fleet Science Center
Match Partners
American Lithium Energy Corp.
