Unifrax, a manufacturer of high-performance specialty materials, featured its latest innovation, SiFAB™ Silicon Fiber Anode Battery Technology, at Battery Show in Novi, Michigan.
Unifrax had launched SiFAB earlier this year and featured the new silicon fiber technology during a technical presentation and exhibit during this year’s The Battery Show and Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo at Suburban Collection Showplace, September 14-16.
Bruce Zoitos, senior scientist and manager, materials research, Unifrax, presented data obtained following advanced testing of SiFAB, which has demonstrated promising performance in multiple battery systems. SiFAB, uniquely structured for high-capacity performance, enables significantly higher energy density in lithium-ion battery systems and has successfully been tested with incremental Si loadings of greater than 40 percent.
“Lithium-ion batteries are playing a pivotal role in our everyday life,” said Zoitos. “Along with greater energy density, SiFAB will provide faster charges and longer battery life for applications including electric vehicles, portable electronics, power tools, energy grid storage, and aerospace. With SiFAB, our recent testing shows our technology can provide a drop-in solution that can be incorporated as early as 2022, enabling better and longer-performing applications.”
The data, collected in part by Wildcat Discovery Technologies, and the Battery Innovation Center, support SiFAB’s promising performance with significantly higher capacity and fast charging capability in various electrode formulations.
According to advanced testing performed in 2021, SiFAB has demonstrated:
Reversible capacity greater than 1,000 mAh/g enabling gravimetric energy density improvement over graphite up to 20 percent
Robust performance in various electrode formulations which allows design flexibility to cell makers and OEMs
Proven high-rate charge and discharge performance up to 4C
Proven high temperature performance at 45°C
Stable cycling with high Si loadings and minimal volume expansion. Cycling of these batteries is ongoing
SiFAB drops into existing manufacturing process; SiFAB has been successfully applied in roll-to-roll processes in standard manufacturing scenarios
“After working with reputable battery labs and partners to test SiFAB, we’re excited to share SiFAB testing results at The Battery Show next week,” said Chad Cannan, senior vice president of research and development, Unifrax. “Our data shows SiFAB delivers strong performance in realistic cell conditions and real-world applications. With SiFAB’s promising performance, and Unifrax’s ability to scale up manufacturing with our first SiFAB manufacturing line being built at our Indiana manufacturing site now, our plan is on track for producing tens of metric tons in early 2022 with hundreds of metric tons capacity planned for 2023, making SiFAB a reality for customers,” said Cannan.
