New Approach to Processing Lithium for Batteries

A Vancouver start-up claims to have come up with a way to help reduce the cost of new lithium-ion battery technologies.

Perfect Lithium Corp. has filed patents on its proprietary technology for making fine, ultra-fine, nano-scale and uniform ceramic powders to create lithium-ion battery materials. According to the company, optimizing the processes could reduce the energy storage costs for the materials by as much as 50% by reducing raw material input requirements, simplifying processing methods, and by “providing unique nanostructures that enhance performance characteristics such as energy storage, power and cycling.”

By eliminating the need for chemicals and reactants, repetitive grinding and milling, and allowing the process to take place at ambient temperatures and standard pressures, Perfect Lithium further claims that up to 75% of the steps have been eliminated. That means instead of the typical four to five days currently required for processing, materials could be produced in as little as a day.

Details are sparse, but the company previously claimed to have produced kilogram-sized batches of cathode powders that measured 15% to 30% higher energy densities than commercial grade materials, at less cost.

Source: Perfect Lithium