Panasonic will collaborate with California-based company Sila Nanotechnologies to develop lithium-ion battery anodes. This collaboration aims to increase the range of electric vehicles and reduce charging time by using Sila’s silicon powder technology. They aim to develop automobile batteries that have a range of 800 km and charge in 10 minutes.In recent years, the use of silicon has been increasing to increase the capacity of lithium-ion batteries. Sila has also developed Titan Silicon anode powder for this purpose. The company’s nanostructured silicon powders with micrometer-sized particles offer an alternative to the classical graphite-structured anode material.
Theoretically offers 10 times more energy density
Silicon theoretically offers 10 times greater energy density than graphite. However, silicone tends to expand during charging, causing the surface to crack. Sila states that to solve this problem, it created a crack-resistant structure that combines silicone and graphite.
Gene Berdichevsky, Sila’s CEO, says it took 12 years and 80 thousand attempts to reach this point. He explains the anode they developed as follows: “It is a structure like raisin bread, where raisins are made of silicon. Around the raisins, there is a soft matrix and large outer skin. The crust holds the volume and the bread moves aside as the raisins expand. “The skeleton does not hold the silicone, it adapts to expansion.”Berdichevsky says that the technology they developed is adaptable, and the graphite in lithium-ion batteries can be replaced by 50% or completely. When a completely silicon anode is used, the energy density of the batteries increases by 40% and it is possible to charge up to 80% in the same fuel filling time.
Panasonic believes that the benefits promised by silicon anodes can increase efficiency to levels similar to solid-state batteries, while also being easily integrated into existing manufacturing processes.
It is widely found in the earth’s crust
Silicon is also the second most common element in the earth’s crust. Therefore, using silicon in battery production provides an advantage. By focusing on next-generation battery technology like this, Berdichevsky argues, North American manufacturers can compete with Chinese manufacturers who have access to cheap graphite.
This will help automakers meet sourcing requirements set by the Inflation Reduction Act and allow their vehicles to qualify for tax incentives of up to $7,500.
It is unclear when this technology will come to electric vehicles. It is also unclear which automaker will benefit from these new Panasonic batteries. However, we should point out that the company has worked extensively with Tesla in the past.
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