TAGS: Smart Coatings
Altech has completed the first phase of battery performance testing of graphite particles coated with high purity alumina (HPA), using Altech’s proprietary coating technology.
Coated Graphite Performance Meets Expectations
For the first round of testing, a batch of battery electrodes were produced using non-coated standard anode grade graphite particles (the control), and a separate batch was produced that contained anode grade graphite particles coated with HPA using Altech’s technology. One hundred cycles of cell charge and discharge were completed.
Results for the coated graphite anodes compared to the non-coated anodes were positive and encouraging. Test work will now proceed to the next stage where additional runs of battery charge and discharge will be undertaken with the aim of obtaining results that demonstrate repeatability and consistency.
Potential Improvements to Li-ion Battery Life
On 22
nd December 2020, Altech announced the successful demonstration of its alumina coating technology – the coating of graphite particles typical of those used in anode applications within lithium-ion batteries (anode grade graphite), with a nano layer of high purity alumina (HPA). The demonstration showed that Altech’s technology was able to deposit a uniform and consistent layer of alumina onto anode grade graphite particles. The uniformity and consistency of an alumina layer on anode grade graphite is expected to be important to improve lithium-ion battery performance.
On 12
th February 2021, the Company announced the commencement of a pre-feasibility study by its 75% owned German subsidiary Altech Industries Germany GmbH, for the construction of a battery materials high purity alumina (HPA) coating plant in Saxony, Germany – the battery test results will be incorporated into the study.
The battery test work is part of the Company’s strategy to focus on tailoring its high purity alumina into specialized products targeted at more efficient applications within the lithium-ion battery industry.
Altech’s general manager operations and chief scientist, Dr Jingyuan Liu was very encouraged by the initial phase of results, “
We now have to optimize the testing conditions and conduct additional tests to demonstrate repeatability and consistency. The performance of the alumina coated graphite is meeting our expectations so far”, he said.
Source: Altech