France-based Novacium, partner of HPQ Silicon, a technology company specializing in engineering of silica- and silicon-based materials, has demonstrated high performance of its GEN3 silicon-anode material batteries.

The company says its GEN3 silicon-anode material batteries demonstrate high capacity and durability, outperform commercial 18650 battery cells, achieve high average Coulombic Efficiency of 99.88% and deliver a 31% cumulative energy gain over graphite benchmark batteries.

At 900 cycles, 18650 batteries made with Novacium’s GEN3 silicon-based anode materials deliver more than 3,100 milliampere-hours (mAh) of capacity, retaining an average of 82% of their initial capacity, according to the company.

The benchmark batteries, made with high-grade artificial graphite, delivered about 2,400 Ah of cumulative energy, while the Novacium GEN3 batteries delivered a cumulative energy return of about 3,200 Ah—a more than 30% cumulative energy gain. The results showcase GEN3’s more stable degradation profile.

“These results at 900 cycles confirm that Novacium has successfully developed a unique capability to produce advanced silicon-based materials. When blended with high-grade artificial graphite, these materials integrate seamlessly into commercial batteries (18650, 21700, 26650 and 4680),” said Dr. Jed Kraiem, COO of Novacium. “Our analysis of the results concludes that targeted process refinements could unlock even greater performance gains and further minimize long-term degradation, while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing processes, paving the way for next-generation lithium-ion batteries.”

The next step will be to establish—either independently or through partnerships with industrial players—a pilot plant capable of manufacturing silicon-based materials.

Source: HPQ Silicon