KeraCel Inc. is Preparing for Their 3D Printed Solid-State Battery Production

Sep
24
2019
Credit: KeraCel Inc.

KeraCel Inc. is joining the club of those who like to challenge the limits of additive manufacturing with a new type of a 3D printed solid-state battery.

While this is not the first time that we hear about this technology, KeraCel promises that they possess the know-how to be the first to commercialize such a product.

While the executives of the company enjoy letting the rumors propagate, creating anticipation, they actually revealed none of the technical details that underpin the manufacturing process. However, they had to give the press something, and Arwed Niestroj, the chief operating officer of the company did precisely that. He specified that the new printing process they are planning to follow is based on MIT’s powder-based binding technology. Moreover, he revealed that his company is planning to patent their approach to this new technology. 

As Niestroj said, the main advantage that their product will have against the conventional lithium-ion batteries is that they will be able to use much less material, making every anode and cathode separator thinner without risking anything on the field of mechanical force resistance and chemical stability. This squeezing means that KeraCel’s new battery can feature higher power densities as well. He added that they are likely to be cheaper than traditional solutions, as the manufacturing will be a lot simpler, and we have a market-changer right here. 

Finally, in regards to the materials that are suitable for this new solid-state battery, Niestroj points out that KeraCel is not limited to using cobalt. That’s another game-changer, as cobalt is expensive and already in shortage. As for the environment, KeraCel’s new battery will be easier to enter a recycling program, as older cells can be crushed into powder form which is perfectly usable by the 3D printers, and with minimal processing. 

Bianca Van der Watt

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