Sila launches new silicon anode technology to increase EV battery energy density

According to foreign media reports, battery technology company Sila Nanotechnologies announced the launch of a silicon anode for real products: Whoop Strap 4.0, and said it has been put into production.

The wearable monitoring belt will also be released at the same time. Gene Berdichevsky, CEO and co-founder of Sila, also mentioned this information during a Zoom meeting on September 8. Gleb Yushin, another co-founder of Sila and a researcher at Gatech, is also studying molten ceramic electrolytes.

(Image source: Sila Nanotechnologies)

Berdichevsky revealed that the new silicon anode will successfully replace the graphite anode because Sila has managed to develop a core-shell structure at the particle level. By retaining the battery structure, the expansion problem of the silicon anode is solved, making it feasible. The silicon anode is fully compatible with current battery production technology, that is, it can be integrated with current lithium-ion batteries, increasing the energy density by nearly 20%. Berdichevsky said it is possible to increase it to 40%.

The silicon anode will also improve battery life. Berdichevsky hopes to use the silicon anode to help create a "Forever Battery" that can withstand 10,000 cycles or 30 years of use. It will take Sila 10 years, 55,000 iterations, and a 1,000-fold increase in manufacturing scale to make the silicon anode sellable. Whoop Strap 4.0 is the first result of all these efforts.

Berdichevsky said the company will focus on wearables and small devices. But over time, the company will start to move to mobile electronics and advanced electric vehicles for battery manufacturers . By improving productivity, it will be possible to adopt the silicon anode in mass-produced electric vehicles. He also believes that silicon anodes can store more lithium ions and perform better than lithium metal. Therefore, batteries using silicon anodes are lighter than batteries using lithium metal anodes.

Volkswagen has announced that it will lease used electric vehicles to preserve as many used batteries as possible, but if the silicon anodes really can keep battery packs in use for 30 years, then electric vehicles could last longer than Volkswagen expects.