EDWARD BUIEL CONSULTING LLC — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 14

Description

This project will develop state-of-the-art processes for the conversion of natural flake graphite into high quality lithium-ion battery (LIB) grade anode materials. This will enable a $200M industry to develop and drive over $1B in investment in new mines and processing companies. This project will complete 3 years of work by Coulometrics to develop new environmentally friendly and low cost processes for the conversion of natural graphite flake into a high quality LIB anode material that exhibits: - Lower cost; - Improved purification through an environmentally friendly process, and; - A high quality and consistent material suitable for demanding automobile applications. Currently, all natural graphite for lithium ion batteries originates in China. This represents a value added market for graphite with no current beneficiaries in the US. This is true even though large high-quality flake graphite deposits of graphite exist in the US and just across the border in Canada. Many junior graphite companies are eager to develop these resources however new state-of-the-art process technologies are required that will: - Spheronize the graphite with higher yield than what is currently used in China; - Purify the spheronized graphite, and; - CVD coating of the spheronized graphite to provide high efficiency and long life in LIBs. Coulometrics has developed a new viable coating process and has developed new technologies that will allow for higher yield through spheronizing. Working with partner companies, Coulometrics has demonstrated the highest purity natural graphite material which is critical for automotive batteries. Coulometrics has also achieved high capacity (>355 mAh/g) with high first cycle efficiency (92-95%). The goal of this project is complete the process development on spheronization, purification, and coating, and to fully qualify the material in 2Ah LIBs. Full qualification and a current target price of $4-5/kg will make this material very attractive to LIB manufacturers. Coulometrics will license these new process technologies to junior graphite and materials processing companies to build a North America supply chain for LIB-grade graphite. Coulometrics is currently working with four junior graphite companies, one purification company, and two US-based battery manufacturing companies. The strong letters of support from are partners will provide further evidence of the many socio-economic benefits that would result from US companies being able to regain a leading role in graphite production and for LIBs. Key words: Natural Graphite, Lithium Ion Battery, Spherical Graphite, Purification, CVD Coating.