David Brown, PhD is the co-founder and CEO of BroadBit Batteries (www.broadbit.com) and a Fulbright Fellow (atmospheric physics) and founder and former CEO of Canatu (www.canatu.com), Teicos Pharma (www.teicospharma.com), Almakor (www.almakor.com) and StreamWise (www.streamwisecfd.eu). He has raised and managed over 40M$ and brought multiple technologies from concept to commercial use. He has over 150 scientific articles, 200 granted and pending patents and 100 invited talks on, e.g., batteries, thin film electronics, entrepreneurship, nanotechnology, synthesis and deposition of nanomaterials, drug delivery and formulation, nuclear energy, atmospheric physics and modeling and algorithms for designing and characterizing materials and processes.
Low cost, high performance, sustainable batteries based on NaCi.
100x battery production is required for coming rechargeable battery markets in electric vehicles and grid storage/ stabilization. Existing lithium-ion cannot meet the needs of these markets due to performance, safety, cost and materials limitations. In this presentation, BroadBit will present its novel battery technology capable of providing cheaper, better batteries from common, scalable materials and processes and, thus, enabling the coming electricity revolution. Battery chemistry and structure has been demonstrated at the coin cell level and is being verified with partners at the 18650 cylindrical cell level.
In the battery cell, metallic sodium is electrodeposited from NaCl salt crystals onto a bare conductive current collector. Deposition is dendrite-free over a proprietary substrate. The cell is manufactured in fully discharged state with no sodium deposited on the anodic current collector. When fully charged, there is no NaCl in the cathode. The electrolyte is an SO2 based ionic liquid catholyte with an ionic conductivity of over 60 mS/cm. The cell can be fully discharge to return to the original manufactured state without damage.
Discharge voltages range from 3.6 – 4.0 V. Based on coin cell measurements extrapolated to 18650 cylindrical cell format, the energy density in production is expected to be above 290 Wh/kg. An operating temperature range of between -20C to +60C has been demonstrated. Due to the non-flammable electrolyte there is no risk of fire. Due to a shuttle reaction that begins at 4.2V, there is no risk of overcharging. Due to the discharge state assemble and ability to be returned to fully discharge state, the batteries are long term storable and safely transportable. Due to cheap, abundant and accessible and environmentally friendly raw materials, low purity requirements and simple/cheap manufacturing, the cost of the cells is targeted to be below 70$/kWh in commercial production. Moreover, existing Li-ion facilities can be used for large scale cell production.
