Ampcera Inc has announced its Phase I Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant from the US Department of Energy (DoE) Vehicle Technologies Office for the development of a Lithium dendrite suppressing solid-state electrolyte membrane for Lithium metal batteries using a high-throughput scaled manufacturing approach. In addition, Ampcera recently received private investment to fund further development.
Ampcera is the only small business selected by the DoE in the recent 2021 SBIR grants announcement that is developing solid-state lithium metal battery technology for electric vehicles. The proposed scaled manufacturing approach has been demonstrated by Ampcera to rapidly form engineered grain structure solid-state electrolyte membranes to suppress lithium dendrite growth and propagation, which is one of the major limiting factors in the successful development of solid-state lithium metal batteries.
"By blocking dendrite growth, we can enhance both the energy density and cycle life of solid-state batteries. By using a low-cost and rapid manufacturing approach that allows for direct integration of solid-state electrolyte membranes into large format battery production, we can eliminate the handling and low yield issues plaguing solid-state battery manufacturing. This revolutionary technology will enable a solid-state lithium metal battery with more than 450 Watt-hour per kg (Wh/kg) energy density at less than $75 per kiloWatt hour (/kWh) cost," said Dr Hui Du, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Ampcera Inc. "With the new funding from the DoE and our private investors, Ampcera will accelerate the development of this game-changing solid-state battery technology."
Ampcera recently filed an international patent application through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) titled "Batteries Comprising Solid State Ionic Conductive Membranes" to protect its engineered grain structure solid-state electrolyte membranes and solid-state batteries made with such membranes. As an innovator of solid-state electrolyte and battery technologies, Ampcera owns an intellectual property portfolio of more than 20 pending patents filed both in the US and internationally as well as a number of trade secrets.
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