Energy-Efficient Manufacturing of Silicon Lithium-ion Battery Materials for Transition to Electric Vehicle

MakeSens Inc.


Project Type

Demonstration

Project Value

$3,060,000

Project Status

Active

Location

Calgary, AB

Funding Amount

$940,000

The market has been seeking batteries with higher energy density and lower weight, especially with the recent surge in demand for electric vehicles led by efforts toward a net-zero society. Even after several innovations in various parts of batteries in past decades, battery performance has been limited by the performance of anode materials. Silicon has become a prominent candidate to replace conventional graphite materials due to its theoretical capacity of more than ten times that of graphite in the same weight. However, silicon and its inherent challenges with rapid degradation have precented its application in large-scale commercial batteries.

MakeSens is dedicated to developing a solution to enable silicon-based anode materials with high energy density and fast charging speed while employing advanced manufacturing technology to reduce GHG emissions more than conventional processes. It is also taking advantage  of high-purity industrial by-products from the oil and gas industry, further enhancing the performance of products while creating a value-added industry to Alberta’s growing clean energy sector.

The project aims to verify the technology and products with commercial battery manufacturing partners, demonstrating the advantages of the technology and its commercial applicability. With the successful completion of the project, MakeSens will introduce a new solution to the market to increase the range of electric vehicles, enhance the energy efficiency of the smart grid, provide energy storage to remote areas, and mitigate the stress of low battery signals for all portable electronics.