Developing Processes For The Low-Cost Manufacturing Of High Purity Silicon Metals For Next-Generation Lithium-ion Batteries

Achieved final critical milestones, completing a successful silicon pour

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Message: Hydro-Québec Mercedes, Tesla, & Dr. John B. Goodenough.

Thanks for your DD Renaissance. The post further to yours on Hydro-Québec. (I am the poster lenient on Stockhouse):

Here are some takeaways from the second video of Hydro-Québec which Renaissance linked to, as well as more insight into Tesla and Mercedes Benz relationships, and their patent partnership with The University of Texas at Austin and Dr. John B. Goodenough (for anyone who don't know: The inventor of the Li-Ion battery, 2019 nobel winner for his contributions to the rechargable battery and yet more recent solid-state innovations, the patents to which now are transferred to Hydro-Québec.):

First, from the second video:

  • Laboratory they are currently in (in video) was specially designed for their close, fast-tracked partnership with Mercedes Benz.

  • The spesific goal with Mercedes is to deliver a battery in three years, 70 x 14,5 cm, ‘fully solid-state and safe.’

  • They have recently made improvements upon Lithium Iron Phosphate (Cathodes, Cobalt Free) which Tesla will use in their batteries, first in China.

 
Some direct quotes by Karim:

"At the intellectual property level, we have the best patents in the world. If we take any smart phone, tablet, electric car, there is at least one element inside the battery of these products whose patent belongs to Hydro-Québec."

"In terms of competition, certainly when it comes to research and development, creation of materials and piloting, we are really on top. And in solid-state batteries, in particular, what we are developing with the anode [keep in mind potential HPQ relationship], we are still minimum 5 years ahead of competitors.”
Also likely related to patents derived from John B. Goodenough; (solid electrolyte can positively impact and stabilize anode properties.) Read on for elucidation on relationship with Goodenough.

Karim Zaghib is truly passionate about creating a total ecosystem of battery manufacture in Québec, from mineral mining and the utilization of the cheapest and cleanest electricity in the world (Hydro-power*), to the best laboratories, scientists and technological advance. Hydro-Québec has one of the largest battery patent portfolios in the world, and is at current especially focused on developing its solid-state battery in collaboration with Mercedes.

* Hydro-power: For those who don't know; Québec (Hydro-Québec, in conjunction with its technological research arm), is also Canada's leading producer of hydroelectricity, and has one of the world's largest hydroelectric facilities; the La Grande complex in the Baie James sector in Nord-du-Québec, together with over a dozen other operating stations. They are the fourth largest hydropower producer in the world, and account for almost 97% of all the electricity used in Québec.

Here is a very interesting presentation by Zaghib/Hydro-Québec from 2016 showcasing their search to identify new sources and production methods of nano-Si for their new anode technology, (a technology which Karim stated is at least 5 years ahead of competitors.) Remember, this is already 4 years old research and development, but it is an interesting insight into their path of electrode development, adjoining HPQ’s burgeoning 2016 development:

Notice among other things in the summary, this first line:

  • Cycle life of metallurgical Si was greatly improved by optimizing the milling conditions and the particle size.

And under Future Activities:

  • Optimize nano-Si/C composite
        1st Deliverable ; Si/C Powder -> End of March, 2016
  • Develop high loading electrode using nano-Si/C composite with optimized electrode architecture.
        2nd Deliverable ; Si Electrode -> End of June, 2016

https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/06/f32/es222_zaghib_2016_p_web.pdf


Tesla:

https://spectrum.ieee.org/transportation/efficiency/companies-report-rush-electric-vehicle-battery-advances

"TESLA’S BIG BETS Analysts think Tesla’s upcoming annual Battery Day (the company hadn’t yet set a date at press time [It now has: September 15]) will hold special significance. Maria Chavez of Navigant Research in Boulder, Colo., expects to hear about at least three big advancements.

The first one (which Reuters reported in February) is that Tesla will develop batteries with cathodes made from lithium iron phosphate for its Model 3s. These LFP batteries—with “F” standing for “Fe,” the chemical symbol for iron—are reportedly free of cobalt, which is expensive and often mined using unethical practices. LFP batteries also have higher charge and discharge rates and longer lifetimes than conventional lithium-ion cells. “The downside is that they’re not very energy dense,” says Chavez.

To combat that, Tesla will reportedly switch from standard cylindrical cells to prism-shaped cells—the second bit of news Chavez expects to hear about. Stacking prisms versus cylinders would allow Tesla to fit more batteries into a given space."


As mentioned earlier, Hydro-Quebec has done trailblazing work with John Goodenough on LFP (Lithium Ferro Phosphate cathode, high level of safety, cobalt-free) batteries to which Tesla, BYD, CATL and others, as well as a gazillion portable electronic devices, suffering Cobalt miners and the environment, is currently the great beneficiary.


Last but not least:

Hydro-Québec earlier this year announced an agreement with the The University of Texas at Austin for the transfer of patents co-invented by John B. Goodenough to Hydro-Québec (For anyone who by slightest chance does not know; Goodenough is the inventor of the Li-Ion battery. Recently also behind breakthroughs in solid-state tech, and most recent, 2019 Nobel Laureate in chemistry together with M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshinofor for their pioneering work on rechargable batteries. He is the world’s oldest ever Nobel Prize winner at 97 years of age, still going ardent and strong.)

"The partnership with Hydro-Québec has provided the critical technology development needed for commercial production of intellectual property generated at The University of Texas at Austin."
—Dr. Goodenough

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2020/01/20200131-hq.html

There are reasons for why Karim says Hydro-Québec is so far ahead in solid-state tech.

(Personally I remember when I first saw Goodenough’s new innovation in solid-state and was blown away that he was still at it, helping the world onward on enlightened ways. The patents for his solid-state battery are now transferred to Hydro-Québec.)

Hydro-Québec too has done solid-state battery research since the 1990's and are the pioneers in this technology. They have operated a battery research institute since 1967 and have been working with Goodenough since 1996.

"We are very pleased that Dr Goodenough's team is reiterating its confidence in Hydro-Québec by choosing us to bring their technology to market."
—Karim in a statement to El Reg.

From the last article linked to:

Hydro-Québec and The University of Texas at Austin signed an agreement for the transfer to Hydro-Québec of patents co-invented by Dr. John B. Goodenough, a professor at The University of Texas at Austin and the 2019 Nobel Laureate in chemistry and Dr. Maria Helena Braga, an associate professor at the University of Porto, Portugal.

These patents relate to a new type of electrolyte to be used in solid-state lithium batteries, which Hydro-Québec’s team of researchers will integrate into a battery with the goal of bringing it to the commercialization stage.

The relationship between The University of Texas at Austin and Hydro-Québec has been long-standing and fruitful; the two institutions have been collaborating for 25 years.

Previous agreements have allowed Hydro-Québec to bring previous University of Texas at Austin patents to the licensing stage and helped bring to market battery innovations that are now used all over the world in a wide range of electronic products.

Lithium-ion batteries, an invention largely credited to the work of Dr. Goodenough, are the most common type of battery used in electronics and electric vehicles today. Solid-state batteries are considered a safer alternative to present-day lithium-ion batteries, as they do not use flammable liquid electrolytes. In addition, they have a high energy density and are long-lasting, light and much cheaper, making them ideal for the electric transportation market. This technology may be the key to both a greater driving range and greater safety, helping to secure the future of electric vehicle batteries.

Hydro-Québec developed a first-generation solid-state battery in the 1990s and has continued research and development work on improving both efficiency and manufacturing methods with a view to production of a new generation of batteries.

 

Another research paper on Si anodes by Hydro-Québec from the 2016 period (same period as early HPQ and PYR PureVAP research), in collaboration with BMR members: V. Battaglia and G. Liu from LBNL, C.Wong and Z.Jiguang from PNNL, and J. Goodenough from the University of Texas(UT):

"Out-Year Goals. This project investigates several steps to prepare an optimized composition and electrode structure of Si-based anode. HydroQuebec will use its advanced in situ analysis facilities to identify the limitations of the developed Si-based anode materials. In situ SEM will be used to monitor crack formations in the particles along with delamination at the binder/particle and current collector/particle interfaces to improve the electrode architecture and cycle life."

https://bmr.lbl.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2018/10/BMR-2Q-Report-2016.pdf

A Hydro-Québec research-paper on Si anodes from as early as 2011, analyzing the behaviour of SiOx particles during charge-discharge, with results suggesting the use of a flexible binder like polyimide and reasonably small SiOx particles (nano-particles) facilitates improved cycle life and higher rate capability:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251589360_SiO_x_-graphite_as_negative_for_high_energy_Li-ion_batteries

Finally, a table comparing various potential anode materials. As you can see, Si has the highest specific capacity of 4,200 mAhg-1 and volume capacity of 9,786 mAh cm-3, (higher than Li which also is a much researched anode material), co-related with it also having the highest volume change during charge/discharge of 320%.
Si is also attractive for its abundance in quartz as well as its environmental benignity:
 

 

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