Dutch technology company Regis (RGS) has introduced E-magy nanoporous silicon, which is said to significantly increase the absorption of lithium ions, and can solve the swelling that occurs during the battery charging cycle.
This special silicon material can be used in anodes of lithium-ion batteries to increase battery capacity. According to the company, E-magy can increase the capacity of lithium-ion battery anodes and even increase the industry target by an additional 50%. The increased capacity allows electric vehicles to reach a range of more than 500 kilometers without the need for additional batteries.
The use of silicon materials to replace carbon materials in today's lithium-ion batteries is considered a solution to achieve greater battery capacity. Theoretically, the use of silicon materials can increase the battery anode capacity by a factor of ten. In fact, the use of silicon is also significantly limited due to the harmful swelling effects that occur during battery charging, limiting battery life.
The E-magy nano-silicon material is designed to absorb lithium ions during the battery charging cycle. Thanks to its internal porosity, the material functions like a sponge to absorb water, which can prevent the external expansion of the battery anode while increasing battery capacity. Three times or more.
E-magy silicon will be supplied in powder form and can be used in the existing battery supply chain and battery plant production processes to gradually increase the capacity of lithium-ion batteries. Currently, Regis is working with leading industrial customers and renowned institutions such as Delft University of the Netherlands and the French Atomic and Alternative Energy Commission (CEA) to expand its advanced industrial facilities to Gigabit Tile scale. The company's facilities will expand its annual production capacity to 50 tons and produce batteries with a capacity of 1 gigawatt-hour (GWh).