Cuberg, Inc. — Department of Energy SBIR Phase II: 13a

Description

Improved battery technology is indispensable in electric vehicles (EVs) and grid-scale storage if the United States is to realize the benefits to national security and reduction of carbonaceous emissions that come of energy independence.The economic opportunity is immense; the market for the current state of the art rechargeable battery, lithium-ion (Li-ion), is already approaching $50 billion per year, and it continues to grow with the continued adoption of EVs.Cuberg is developing a next-generation battery technology based on a non-flammable electrolyte formulation and a lithium metal anode.These cells deliver a step-change improvement in energy density and safety compared to the best lithium-ion batteries in the world today.The technology is a drop-in solution that can be manufactured and scaled using existing lithium-ion production equipment.In this project, we will assemble a battery with a new electrolyte formulation and cathode design to greatly improve the cell cycle life while retaining the excellent energy density, power, and safety profile achieved to date.Our tasks include R&D and cell design for cycle life improvement, analysis techniques, chemical approaches, electrochemical approaches, cell integration, and quality control.Our batteries will power the portable electronics of the future and help bring about mass-market electrification of UAVs, cars, air taxis, and passenger airliners.Significant safety and energy improvements in EVs will accelerate their mass market penetration around the world which will reduce fossil fuel usage, air pollution, and cost of transportation.The focus of this proposal, cycle life improvements, will enable our products to achieve broad commercialization in EVs.