A Value Proposition
For
MicroGrid® Expanded Metal
Current Conducting Foil
For Use In Li-ion Batteries
Today $300-600/kWh
Tomorrow $150/kWh
About Dexmet
 Manufacture Precision Expanded Metal Foils & Polymers
 Most Ductile Metal Can Be Expanded (Ti, Ni, Cu, Al, SS…)
 Established In 1948
 Specializing In Technology for Thin Metal Foils & Polymers
To 25 micron thickness

Primary Market Segments
 Battery, FC & Electrolyzer
 Lightning Strike Protection
 Filtration
 EMI/RFI Shielding
MicroGrid® Expanded Metal
Overview of Expanded Materials
How Expanded Material is Made
Ductile Material Being Expanded
Tool
Geometry / Profile
Tool Travel
(Stroke)
Materials Are Produced Through A Simultaneous “Slit and Stretch” Process
– Solid Roll or Sheet Stock of Virtually Any Ductile Metal or Polymer
Expanded Terminology
LWD = Long Way of the Diamond
SWD = Short Way of the Diamond
Strand Width = Material Thickness Between Openings
(Controlled By Feed Rate)
Overall
Thickness
Strictly Private and Confidential
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MicroGrid® Expanded Metal
Overview of Expanded Materials

Expanded Material is Highly
Configurable
– Each characteristic can be
altered to meet specific
application requirements
MicroGrid® 25 Micron thickness Expanded Metal
Overview of Expanded Materials

The copper foil is 58% open
area thus equal to a 10 micron
solid copper foil by mg/cm2

The aluminum foil is 51% open
area thus equal to a 12.5
micron solid aluminum foil by
mg/cm2
Delamination - A Primary Cause of Battery Failure
Electrode
Cu Foil
Increased Cycle Life
 The MicroGrid® Foil Has Up To 1800 Openings Per Sq. In
1,800 Chemical Bonds Between The Two Sides Of The Coated Foil
 There Are 1,800 Chemical Bonds Between The Two Sides of The
Coated Foil to Reduce De-Lamination Between Electrode Materials
and Foil
 Extends Cycle Life and Reduces Dependence on Binder
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Confidential
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Solid foil
Microgrid®
These are not an actual photo’s
Confidential
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MicroGrid® Comparison in Si Anode Study
Carbon Nanotube Technology
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MicroGrid® Comparison in Li-Plated Anode
186%
500%
Li-Plated Standard 10 Micron Cu vs. 25 Micron Cu MicroGrid ®
Commercial Cathode Materials. C-Rate 0.7 Charge and 0.5 Discharge
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MicroGrid® Comparison in Full Cell NMC/Graphite
Third Party Results – Ningbo Institute of Material Technology, China
200+%
MicroGrid® used for anode and cathode
MicroGrid® cathode solid foil anode
Solid foil cathode MicroGrid® anode
Solid foil anode and cathode
5C Charging/Discharge Performance Results
 Full Cells Produced with NMC and Graphite
 All Materials Consistent with Exception for Aluminum Solid vs Microgrid®
Foils
 20 Micron Solid Foil vs. 25 Micron MicroGrid ® Expanded Foil
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MicroGrid® Comparison in Full Cell NMC/Graphite
Third Party Results – Ningbo Institute of Material Technology, China
MicroGrid® used for anode and cathode
MicroGrid® cathode solid foil anode
200+%
Solid foil cathode MicroGrid® anode
Solid foil anode and cathode
10C Charging/Discharge Performance Results
 Full Cells Produced with NMC and Graphite
 All Materials Consistent with Exception for Aluminum Solid vs Microgrid®
Foils
 20 Micron Solid Foil vs. 25 Micron MicroGrid ® Expanded Foil
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Capacity Fade Causes Reduced Battery Life
Cell Layers with Solid Current Conduction Foil
During overcharge or over-discharge electrolyte decomposition, passive film formation,
active material dissolution, among other phenomena can cause capacity fade. With solid
foil each cell layer can become weakest link in the series.
_______________________________________________________________________
A porous current conductor enables the cell to fully saturate all layers supplying ions
where needed to reduce the potential for capacity fade thus having more electrolyte and
Li-ion availability for equilibrium throughout the cell
Cell layers with MicroGrid® Current Conduction Foil
Confidential
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Reduced Coating Time Increases Productivity
Single Pass Dual Sided Coating – Decreased Processing Time/Reduced De-Lamination
Top Surface
Proof of Concept:
Electrode Slurry Injected To The Underside
of The Foil and Pushed Through To Top
Surface.
 Dual Sided Coating In Single Pass
 No Laminate Backing Required
 Potential To Dial In Parameters For
Balanced Coating On Both Sides
Photo Courtesy of Megtec Systems Inc.
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Reducing Formation Time – Increases Productivity
Soaking and formation to saturate electrolyte throughout
electrode chemistry can be a significant rate limiting step in the
automated production of cells.
Microgrid® enables faster equilibrium throughout the cell
Confidential
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Driving Down $/kWh Costs
Today $300/kWh



Tomorrow $150/kWh
Potential For A Significant Increase In Capacity At Higher C-Rates
Potential For Reduced De-Lamination At Current Conductor/Electrode
Interface
Potential Reduction In Capacity Fade
 Increased Cycle Life
 Reduced Soaking / Wetting Time on Cell Production
 Reduced Coating Time with Double Sided Coating with a Single pass
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How Much
Does It Cost???
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Value for eV and Commercial Electronics
16kWh
160,000km/
8yrs
24kWh
240,000km/
8yrs
1Ah
4.2V
1.5Ah
4.2V
For discussion purposes Let’s Assume
battery cost EU10,000 = EU625/kWh
With 50% more capacity and 50
greater cycle life and cost 25% more
Battery Cost EU12,500 (25% premium)
EU520/kWh
Let’s Assume
Runs for 8 Hours per charge / 1000 cycles
battery cost EU75 = EU17.85/Wh
With 50% more capacity and 50 greater
cycle life and cost 50% more
Runs for 12 hours per charge / 1500 cycles
Battery cost EU112.50 = EU17.85/Wh
f
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Value in Energy Storage Systems
10P Battery, each module 10kWh = 100kWh capacity
EU1000
Cost = EU1,000 per module = EU10,000 per System
at 1,000 cycles
Each Modules is EU100/kWh
Vs
EU1400
7P Battery, each module 15kWh = 105kWh capacity
Cost = EU1,400 per module = EU9800 per System at 1,500 cycles
Each Modules is EU93/kWh
These are not true values – discussion purposes only
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