In tests at leading global independent facility WMG, part of the University of Warwick’s Energy Innovation Centre, Talga’s graphite anode material was benchmarked against a current market leading anode graphite product.
Test Results - Performance benefits over reference anode graphite • 20% higher capacity (total energy) • 20% higher power (fast charge/discharge) • No capacity fade after 300 cycles (>99% energy retention) • 94% first cycle efficiency • Successful scale up - from half coin cells to commercial size pouch cell
The test results show Talga’s anode product significantly outperformed the CAP across a range of charge rates, and achieved very high charge capacity of >300mAh/g at an ultra-fast charge rate of 20C (see Fig 2 for details and Glossary for technical terms).
In general terms, this anode performance enables a Li-ion battery to be charged from 0% to 100% in 3 minutes without losing its capacity.
The results are the first under Talga’s UK Government funded “Safevolt” project (see ASX: TLG 26 March 2018) - a Talga-led program run in conjunction with consortia partners, Johnson Matthey, the University of Cambridge and manufacturing research group, TWI.
Under Safevolt Talga is developing a high energy graphene silicon anode product, termed Talnode™-Si, targeting significantly higher capacity than state of the art commercial graphite anodes (see Figure 1 and 2).
Highlights of initial test results include: • ~50% higher reversible capacity (~550mAh/g) than commercial graphite (~350mAh/g) • Coloumbic efficiency of 99.3% - 99.8% • 95% reversible capacity (after 45 cycles - tests ongoing)
Following initial test results (ASX:TLG Oct 2018) further optimisation of Talnode-Si, with up to 15% silicon loading, has been underway at Talga’s battery material facility in the Maxwell Centre of Cambridge University, UK. Highlights of new half cell cycling test results include: • ~70% higher reversible capacity (~600mAh/g) than commercial graphite (~350mAh/g)* • Coulombic efficiency of 99.5% - 99.9% with first cycle efficiency ~ 91% • Up to 94% reversible capacity (after >130 cycles in a range of silicon loadings)
In new tests conducted at a leading Japanese battery institute, Li-ion batteries using Talnode-C were subjected to performance tests under a range of temperatures including freezing conditions.
Highlights of the test results include: • Retention of 100% capacity and 100% cycle efficiency at freezing temperature (0°C) • Out-performance of market leading commercial anode products
In new tests conducted by IV Electrics, formerly known as Italian Volt and manufacturer of the “Lacama” electric motorcycle (Fig 1), Li-ion batteries fabricated with Talnode-C anodes were subjected to benchtop tests designed to replicate extreme real world conditions and ensure high performance of the Lacama battery pack.
One of these tests is named ‘Stelvio’, after the famously steep road through the Italian Alps (Fig 2) and simulates driving up a mountain at high speed. This cyclic test checks the ability of a battery to efficiently collect fast charge regenerative current (from braking) after a high-power discharge (acceleration) in low temperature conditions. Results in running time represents battery cell performance before limits in voltage drop or cell temperature force the end of the test.
Results show that Talnode-C containing battery cells outperform the endurance of market leading commercial cells by up to 36% (Fig 3). Furthermore, the tests confirm the fast charge, high power, and low temperature properties of Talnode-C anodes translate well to the full cell-level.
Following the concluded Faraday UK ‘Safevolt’ project (ASX:TLG 26 March 2018) and encouraging early test results (ASX:TLG 24 Oct 2018 and 19 Feb 2019), further technical and commercial development of Talnode®-Si has been underway at Talga’s facilities in Europe.
Results from this latest phase of development show continued success of Talga’s silicon anode approach which uses lower-cost metallurgical-grade silicon (see Figure 1) for a high-energy density anode with mass-producibility potential.
In conjunction with in-house product optimisation, full-cell customer testing has been progressing under confidentiality and material transfer agreements with multiple battery manufacturers and auto OEMs in Europe and USA. Positive results from initial tests in unoptimised (commercial electrolyte and non pre-litheated) Li-ion battery cells have been received and are encouraging to fast-track further development and potential commercialisation.
TLG Price at posting:
$1.74 Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
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