As the global demand continues to grow for a safe, affordable, high energy density lithium-ion battery (LIB) Los Angeles-based advanced battery material companies, California Lithium Battery (CalBattery) and CALEB Technology (CALEB) have decided to combine their unique complimentary LIB materials into a new line of state-of-the-art LIBs initially to be made in the Los Angeles area starting in 2016. The new line of LIBs that the CalBattery/CALEB JV plans to produce were developed over several years utilizing significant private, public, and academic resources. In the next 2-3 years the JV plans to develop and produce a third-generation lithium sulfur battery primarily for EV and energy storage applications.
According to Phil Roberts, CEO of CalBattery, “Our new line of LIBs will incorporate the best blend of cathode, electrolyte, and anode materials to produce a superior product at a very competitive price per kilowatt hour. Today we might not be planning on building a gigawatt LIB factory but that may change overnight with one big order.â€
The JV will combine the best LIB materials developed by both Calbattery and CALEB over the past 5 years. The first Calbattery/CALEB LIB will utilize novel high voltage lithium cobalt oxide cathode, high voltage dual phase electrolyte, and conventional anode materials that can be used for power tools, laptops, and cell phones. The second generation LIB will be designed for not only consumer electronic devices but for EV and energy storage applications and will incorporate the CalBattery (Argonne National Laboratory) novel silicon-graphene (SiGr) composite anode material that triples the anode specific capacity.
To compliment this new SiGr anode material, the JV will incorporate a unique dual phase polymer electrolyte material and process know-how developed by CALEB Technology that has shown to not only substantially increase LIB safety but improve energy density as well. “We are very happy to have signed an MOU and be partnering with CalBattery in this new JV and are confident with our combined superior battery materials and manufacturing knowhow that we can produce one of the world’s highest energy density LIBs right here in California,†stated CALEB Technology President, Thomas Lin.
CALEB Technology is the developer of advanced LIB materials including the patented LinPolyâ„¢ technology that allows building "dry" high performance batteries of unprecedented safety and free of the thermal management issues associated with all other Lithium Ion technologies.
CalBattery is commercializing many advanced LIB materials including its silicon-graphene composite LIB anode material as a superior “drop- in†replacement for graphite-based anode materials, offering significant benefits in Li-ion battery performance especially in energy density and specific capacity while reducing future Li-ion battery cost per kWhr by up to 70%.
