RE: NexTech & ARMOR agreement. <15min charging time16 Feb 2021 10:30
Part 1
Focus on NexTech's lithium-sulfur battery techno, which is targeting prototypes for cars by the end of 2021
ALINE NIPPERT
Posted on 02/16/2021 at 10:00 a.m.
A potential successor to lithium-ion, lithium-sulfur battery technology is advancing. The American startup NexTech intends to produce prototypes for electric cars this year. Bill Burger, its CEO, and Fabio Albano, its technical director, explain to Industry & Technologies the specificities of their technology.
Will lithium-sulfur batteries power the electric vehicles of tomorrow? This is the goal of the American startup NexTech, founded in 2016 after fifteen years of development at the University of California, Berkeley. "We aim to produce prototypes of our modules for the automotive sector by the end of the year," says Fabio Albano, CTO of NexTech. We believe that our first batteries will be on the road around 2025-2027. "
Lithium-sulfur technology is a serious contender for lithium-ion succession, particularly in the on-board. With its sulfur cathode and metallic lithium anode, it is theoretically capable of storing 5 to 7 times more energy than a lithium-ion battery of the same mass. Or more than 1000 watt-hours per kilo. However, many difficulties remain before even approaching this value. And that it remains to achieve a sufficient service life for commercial applications.
Sulfur-graphene cathodes
For the time being, the various prototypes produced by NexTech, through their pilot line, have reached a specific energy of around 400 Wh / kg. "At this stage, our technology is therefore three times more efficient than lithium-ion," said Bill Burger, CEO of NexTech.
The first obstacle that the start-up had to overcome lies in the electrical non-conductive nature of sulfur. “Sulfur slows down the passage of electrons, which is a problem for a battery…” raises Mr. Albano. To overcome this problem, NexTech has patented a new type of cathode: "We have invented a new composite, which combines graphene - very conductive - with sulfur" , enthuses the specialist, who specifies forming a "strategic alliance" with the company specializing in Directa Plus graphene to manufacture cathodes. Thanks to this innovation, the young shoot claims to be able to load their prototypes in just 15 minutes.
An electrolyte that reduces the formation of dendrites and the dissolution of polysulfides
NexTech also worked on two other major pitfalls of lithium-sulfur: the formation of lithium growths called dendrites on the lithium metal anode - risk of short-circuiting - and the dissolution in the electrolyte of certain polysulphides. created during the electrochemical reaction - which results in the loss of active sulfur in the cathode, and therefore of storage capacity.
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