Nexeon, which develops silicon materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, has had funding approval by Innovate UK for a collaborative research initiative. The £1.5m (US$2.1m) Silicon Anode Battery for Rapid Electrification (SABRE) project will research and develop battery cells with a higher energy density than existing chemistries.
“We are very excited to lead this important work, and to collaborate with our partners in designing and producing higher performance battery cells,” said Scott Brown, CEO, Nexeon. “This project, and others like it, are important in building a UK-based lithium-ion battery capability, and reducing risk in an increasingly competitive supply chain.”
The SABRE project was awarded funding by the Faraday Battery Challenge at UK Research and Innovation. Nexeon, with partners Britishvolt and University College London (UCL), will work to produce test cells with a combination of advanced Li-ion cell design and novel silicon anode material.
Starting immediately, the project partners will investigate the potential for Nexeon’s silicon anode materials, as it has already been proved that these increase Li-ion battery performance. Nexeon’s silicon material design has achieved both a high lithium capacity with a low volume change for a long cycle life.
Britishvolt, along with support from UCL’s Electrochemical Innovation Lab, will utilize its computer-aided cell design and simulation to accelerate the integration of silicon into the anode.
“This is a very exciting work stream and will allow the development of market-leading products as we progress on our roadmap to building the UK’s first full-scale gigaplant,” explained Craig Chapling, R&D program manager, Britishvolt.
“Collaboration is at the very core of our business model, and this project is another example of our ability to partner for success. On July 6, we hit a major milestone when planning for the gigaplant was approved, putting us firmly on track to begin construction later this year.”
