StoneBridge & K-Syran - Starry Night

Semi-solid battery developer 24M has developed a novel dual electrolyte system that makes it possible to manufacture Li-ion battery cells with compositionally distinct electrolytes—anolytes and catholytes—at scale, enabling next-generation chemistries capable of providing industry-leading energy density (more than 350Wh/kg), while improving cycle life, safety and cost.

24M CTO Naoki Ota will present the Dual Electrolyte System at the International Battery Seminar & Exhibit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida later this month.

The 24M SemiSolid electrode platform (earlier post) provides the foundation for its Dual Electrolyte System, significantly improving overall manufacturing capital efficiency, while allowing distinct approaches to cell design and chemistry.

The novel 24M cell architecture uses an ionically conductive, non-permeable separator to isolate the anolyte from the catholyte, while eliminating solid-to-solid interface issues that have plagued full solid-state approaches to date.

24M says that its work with numerous world-class materials manufacturers has shown this approach will be both manufacturable and cost-effective.

Using compositionally distinct electrolytes is a game changer for battery manufacturing and we’ve proven the fundamental technology. At the conference, Naoki will discuss how the 24M Dual Electrolyte System expands the universe of potential electrolytes, including water and other materials that to-date have not been compatible with both the anode and cathode simultaneously.

—Rick Feldt, President and CEO of 24M

The architecture of the 24M cell and manufacturing process for SemiSolid electrodes have been proven via many tens-of-thousands of cells over the past eight years of development. This work has laid the foundation for the development of the Dual Electrolyte System, the initial testing of which will be discussed at the seminar.

In February, 24M announced that it has developed and delivered commercially-viable, high energy density lithium-ion cells with energy densities exceeding 250 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg). (Earlier post.)

The unique 24M approach to compositionally distinct electrolytes makes it possible for 24M to embark on radical new directions in anode and cathode chemistry. Seldom in lithium-ion battery development has such a possibility been realizable, but the advancement in solid-state ion conductors and 24M’s SemiSolid electrodes opens this possibility.

—Koji Hasegawa, General Manager, Industrial Chemicals Department, Itochu Corporation

Itochu is an investor in 24M.