Arizona battery developer Sion Power has reported that one of its Licerion battery systems has achieved specific energy of 400 Wh/kg, energy density of 700 Wh/L and a lifetime of 350 cycles. Dr. Yuriy Mikhaylik, Sion Power’s Director of Materials, presented details at a recent meeting of the Electrochemical Society.

Licerion, a product of Sion Power’s collaboration with BASF, is a battery system that uses a metallic lithium anode that is physically protected by ceramic-polymer composite membranes. This approach is designed to provide smooth, dendrite-free lithium deposition and chemical protection of the exposed metallic lithium surface, thus addressing the safety and cycle life problems that have historically plagued lithium-metal electrodes.

Sion combines its protected lithium anodes with intercalated metal oxide cathodes typically used for Li-ion batteries (Licerion Ion) and with advanced sulfur cathodes (Licerion Sulfur).

The company is in the process of expanding its facilities in Tucson for the production of prototype large-format Licerion Ion cells, which will be available by December 2017.

Source: Sion Power