Battery manufacturers are striving to increase capacity, reduce charging time and ensure an adequate supply of raw materials. BASF developed its new Licity range of binders in order to meet these needs. Depending on their requirements, customers can choose a series with a certain application focus, such as binders suitable for pure graphite or silicon-containing anodes…. Read more »
Posts By: Tom Lombardo
More conductive copper could increase motor efficiency
Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) claim to have increased the conductivity of copper wire by about five percent. That may seem like a small amount, but it could make a big difference in motor efficiency. Higher conductivity would also mean that less copper would be needed for the same efficiency, which could reduce… Read more »
Russian nuclear company ROSATOM enters EV battery market
Russian nuclear technology company ROSATOM has entered the energy storage market. Subsidiary RENERA will develop modular lithium-ion traction batteries for EVs, as well as energy storage systems for emergency power, renewable energy and load shifting. The company’s current portfolio includes more than 120 ongoing and completed projects to supply Li-ion batteries. A number of contracts… Read more »
TRB’s new production process for high-volume continuous-fiber thermoset composite parts
TRB Lightweight Structures has created a new production process to deliver continuous-fiber thermoset composite parts at high volume. This automated manufacturing process is now being used to supply a global Tier 1 powertrain manufacturer with battery components for electric buses. TRB’s manufacturing process combines proprietary snap-cure resins and in-house-produced prepreg materials with robotic production to… Read more »
New smelting reduction process recovers Co, Ni, Mn, and Li from Li-ion batteries
A team from metals research institute SWERIM in Sweden has reported on a smelting reduction process to recover cobalt, nickel, manganese and lithium simultaneously from spent Li-ion batteries. A paper on their work was published in the Journal of Power Sources.
Saietta secures UK research contract for Axial Flux Traction motor
Oxfordshire tech company Saietta has won a grant through the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) to ramp up production of its Axial Flux Traction (AFT) motor. The APC research contract will enable Saietta to increase annual motor production capacity to 150,000 and enable the hiring of 150 to 250 engineers in the first round of… Read more »
Indonesia to form EV battery joint venture
A group of state-owned companies in Indonesia will form a joint venture to produce Li-ion batteries. Partners in the new Indonesia Battery Holding joint venture include two mining firms: Mining Industry Indonesia (MIND) and PT Aneka Tambang; as well as state power utility Perusahan Listrik Negara (PLN), and state oil company Pertamina. Indonesia Battery Holding… Read more »
Livent to invest in Nemaska Lithium, extends supply agreement with Tesla
Lithium supplier Livent has announced its participation in a consortium to acquire the business and certain assets of Nemaska Lithium, located in Québec. Livent will invest in the company via a joint venture with The Pallinghurst Group. Livent has also extended its multi-year lithium hydroxide supply agreement with Tesla through 2021, and has committed to… Read more »
Skeleton Technologies raises $48.5 million to expand the competitive advantage of ultracapacitors
Ultracapacitor manufacturer Skeleton Technologies has announced the completion of a €41.3-million financing round. All the company’s existing investors participated in the equity raise, and were joined by European entrepreneurs and international investors. Skeleton CEO Taavi Madiberk said, “The roadmap to zero emissions needs innovation and a mix of enabling technologies. Ultracapacitors are a key enabler for… Read more »
LEM introduces DC billing meter for EV chargers
LEM, a global specialist in electrical measurement for industrial and automotive applications, has launched its new DC billing meter (DCBM), a compact billing solution for public DC fast chargers. The DCBM has a power measurement range from 25 kW to 600 kW, and is a legally certified meter that provides accurate customer billing. LEM’s new… Read more »