Photo: Sila Nanotechnologies
Battery improvements may take decades to happen. On rare occasions, we can have two on the same day. After QuantumScape said its solid-state lithium-metal platform could replace traditional anodes even in LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cells, Sila Nanotechnologies also made an important announcement. According to the battery tech company, it is already producing a silicon anode that is in a real-life product: the Whoop Strap 4.0.
This wearable monitoring strap was announced simultaneously with the presentation of the Sila silicon anode. Gene Berdichevsky – CEO and co-founder of Sila – talked with The Information about that in a Zoom meeting hosted this September 8. The other co-founder of Sila is Gleb Yushin, a Gatech researcher who is also investigating molten ceramic electrolytes.
According to Berdichevsky, the new silicon anode would successfully replace the graphite anode thanks to a core-shell structure Sila managed to develop at the particle level. It coped with the expansion problem that made pure silicon anodes impractical by preserving the battery structure. That alone would have allowed a feasible silicon anode to exist.
The Sila CEO said that it is fully compatible with the current battery production technology. In other words, the silicon anodes developed by Sila can be integrated with current lithium-ion batteries with an immediate energy density improvement of nearly 20%. Berdichevsky believes it is possible to make that improve to up to 40%.
The silicon anodes could also impact the batteries’ lifespan. The executive expects them to help create a “Forever Battery,” able to resist 10,000 cycles or 30 years of use with silicon anodes. Sila would have spent ten years, 55,000 iterations, and scaled manufacturing over 1,000 times to make it possible to sell the silicon anode. The Whoop Strap 4.0 is the first consequence of all that work.
According to Berdichevsky, the company will concentrate on wearables and small devices. As time goes by, it will start supplying battery manufacturers for mobile electronics and premium electric vehicles. Only after this step, mass-produced EVs may get the chance to have these silicon anodes. It will all depend on Sila’s manufacturing capacity, according to his blog post.
The Sila CEO believes silicon anodes will be much superior to lithium-metal because they would be able to store more lithium ions. That would make batteries using Sila’s tech lighter than those with lithium-metal anodes. If that is correct, QuantumScape will have a disadvantage even before it can start selling its solid-state lithium-metal platform.
Curiously, if these silicon anodes really can make a battery pack last 30 years, EVs will live much longer than Volkswagen expected. The company already announced it would lease used EVs as much as possible to retain used cells. Would it lease 20-year-old vehicles as long as they maintain residual value thanks to its battery packs? New technologies may make plans change in the blink of an eye.
According to Berdichevsky, the new silicon anode would successfully replace the graphite anode thanks to a core-shell structure Sila managed to develop at the particle level. It coped with the expansion problem that made pure silicon anodes impractical by preserving the battery structure. That alone would have allowed a feasible silicon anode to exist.
The Sila CEO said that it is fully compatible with the current battery production technology. In other words, the silicon anodes developed by Sila can be integrated with current lithium-ion batteries with an immediate energy density improvement of nearly 20%. Berdichevsky believes it is possible to make that improve to up to 40%.
The silicon anodes could also impact the batteries’ lifespan. The executive expects them to help create a “Forever Battery,” able to resist 10,000 cycles or 30 years of use with silicon anodes. Sila would have spent ten years, 55,000 iterations, and scaled manufacturing over 1,000 times to make it possible to sell the silicon anode. The Whoop Strap 4.0 is the first consequence of all that work.
According to Berdichevsky, the company will concentrate on wearables and small devices. As time goes by, it will start supplying battery manufacturers for mobile electronics and premium electric vehicles. Only after this step, mass-produced EVs may get the chance to have these silicon anodes. It will all depend on Sila’s manufacturing capacity, according to his blog post.
The Sila CEO believes silicon anodes will be much superior to lithium-metal because they would be able to store more lithium ions. That would make batteries using Sila’s tech lighter than those with lithium-metal anodes. If that is correct, QuantumScape will have a disadvantage even before it can start selling its solid-state lithium-metal platform.
Curiously, if these silicon anodes really can make a battery pack last 30 years, EVs will live much longer than Volkswagen expected. The company already announced it would lease used EVs as much as possible to retain used cells. Would it lease 20-year-old vehicles as long as they maintain residual value thanks to its battery packs? New technologies may make plans change in the blink of an eye.
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