FYI Resources Ltd (ASX:FYI) and with EcoGraf Limited have commenced a joint programme to develop an enhanced High Purity Alumina (HPA) high density battery anode coatings material.
The aim of the programme is to develop an enhanced coatings material that will improve battery performance. The innovative technical program is being undertaken in a leading US commercial battery material research facility using FYI’s high-quality nanoparticle HPA and EcoGraf’s spherical graphite (SPG).
The programme will provide comparative assessment of the electrochemical performance of the jointly developed enhanced HPA coated SPG against industry standard coated SPG in standard CR2016 coin cells.
The HPA coated anode material is a major active anode material (AAM) used in Lithium- ion anode cell manufacturing and is potentially a significant value addition that is complementary for both companies’ developments in Australia.
The sales price reported by Benchmark Minerals Intelligence for coated anode (subject to the specification) ranges between US$6,000 to US$10,000 per tonne, with demand forecast to increase 30%pa driven by the global trend of industry transitioning to low carbon emission technologies.
The development of value-added battery materials is consistent with the Federal Governments critical and battery ‘modern manufacturing strategy’ and Western Australia’s ‘future battery industry strategy’.
The economic impact of developing AAM in Australia could be significant. The indirect economic benefits from battery material manufacturing in Australia is estimated to be three times higher than goods sold at all stages of the value chain
Enhanced HPA Anode Coatings Programme
The technical program will commence with characterisation of key properties of FYI’s nano HPA and EcoGraf’s purified SPG as raw materials for the active anode material in a Lithium- ion battery system.
This will be used to formulate and prepare solvent-compatible dispersion of HPA nano powders of various particle sizes to be applied as ultra-thin HPA onto the pitch coated SPG as an enhanced active anode material.
The pitch coated SPG and enhanced HPA doped coated SPG will be applied to copper substrates to create a negative electrode for incorporation into CR2016 coin cells for electrochemical performance and cycling tests.
The programme is expected to take three months and includes scope to perform long-term cycling of the best formulation of coated anode in both half-cell and full cells (~100 test cycles).