This is my understating. All IMO and DYORUltranode uses Silicon...

This is my understating. All IMO and DYOR

Ultranode uses Silicon (Si). To be more specific it uses Metrical-Grade Micro-Silicon, courtesy of Elkem.
However, silicon is not a naturally occurring element so it needs to be extracted from silicon dioxide (SiO2) ie quartz.

Silicon oxide (as described by Mercedes) is just an umbrella name for any element that contains silicon and oxygen. Ie silicon dioxide (SIO2), silicon monoxide (SIO) etc

As we know, silicon provides circa 10X the energy density of graphite, but it also swells 300% with each charge/discharge cycle causing stress on the cell. Most cell manufactures are already using silicon in the ranges of 3-10%, providing a slight uptick in energy density, whilst not impacting cycle life. Once you go above 10% the cell starts to degrade with each charge/discharge cycle, to the point where its no longer viable.

I think the industry tends to use "silicon" as a generic term. In most cases, the 3-10% is actually "silicon dioxide" or in the case of Mercedes "silicon oxide"

Whist Mercedes have said that they are using silicon oxide, they haven't actually said at what percentage and probably never will.

Say they are using 5% silicon oxide then they probably don't need anteoX to help with cycle life. However, DR has been emphasising the replacement of 50% of CNTs with AnteoX provides costs saving to their project. The cost saving might be 1c, $1, $10, $100 who knows. EV companies need to drive down costs though if they are to be competitive. The whole theme of the Mercedes 'Capital Market Day & Annual Results Conference' was that of cost cutting, so if $100 of AnteoX and $110 of CNTS is giving the same output then I assume it's a win win for both companies to make the change.

Say they are using 20% silicon (as was the original project) then they probably do need anteoX to help with cycle life. However, the data that has been provided in presentations, showed an Si/C anode was used, so imo you can put a line through that one. Thats not to say AnteoTech worked on several prototypes/iterations and provided only one data set for public, but kept the others in house.

This is from 15th October 2024 when EV1 (un-named at the time) purchased Ultranode
“The anode that is being purchased contains 70% silicon which is significantly higher than the anode currently being evaluated which has 10% silicon active material". Umm, Say what ?


Most of our competitors are using Silane Gas (SiH4) which is derived from Silicon (Si), which is derived from Silicon dioxide (SiO2).