SILICON BATTERY RESEARCH
IN ELKEM
Elkem AS, Technology
Ragnar Tronstad
25.10.2015
Advanced materials shaping the future
Elkem Fiskaa, Kristiansand
Elkem Technology, Corporate R&D
Elkem Solar
Elkem Carbon
2
Advanced materials shaping the future
ELKEM HAS FOUR OPERATING DIVISIONS
Elkem Silicon Materials
Global producer and supplier of silicon, microsilica and specialty products
3 plants in Norway
Elkem Foundry Products
Leading producer of ferrosilicon alloys for iron foundries and steel industry
5 plants in Norway, Iceland, Canada and China
Elkem Carbon
Leading producer of electrode paste and other carbon products
5 plants in Norway, Brazil, South Africa and China
Silicones
One of the foremost fully integrated silicone manufacturers in the world
8 plant in France, Spain, UK, Italy, Germany, US, Brazil and China
3
Advanced materials shaping the future
THE (FERRO)SILICON PRODUCTION PROCESS
Carbothermic reduction of quartz (SiO2)
• Quartz is the source of silicon, the other raw
materials are all carbon-based and used for
reducing the SiO2 to Si
SiO2 + 2C = Si + 2CO
• Coal, coke, wood chips and charcoal are the
most common carbon sources
• Silicon is the second most abundant element
in nature
5
Advanced materials shaping the future
SILICON IS USED IN A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES
New product
6
Advanced materials shaping the future
Silicon
anodes in Liion batteris
THE BATTERY MARKET IS LARGE AND CONTINUES TO GROW
7
Advanced materials shaping the future
THE LI-ION BATTERIES IS THE MOST INNOVATIVE BATTERY AREA
The majority of battery patents are filed in Japan and Korea
Ref.: J.A.Silva, S. Oliveira, G. Távora, S. Mendonca; ”The role of innovation in the
future PV and storage markets”, EUPVSEC, Hamburg, 2015.
8
Advanced materials shaping the future
The two graphs indicate high focus on Li-ion batteries
among car producer
LI-ION BATTERY
Elkems target: To be a supplier of anode material to the Li-ion battery.
Anode material covers for 9,9 % of the material needed for production of a Li-ion battery.
Advanced materials shaping the future
SILICON IS THE ELEMENT WITH HIGHEST LI BATTERY CAPACITY POTENTIA LS
ELKEM IS DEVELOPING A UNIQUE SILICON QUALITY FOR THIS PURPOSE
Silicon anodes:
Can reduce battery weight in
Tesla from 750 kg today to 300 kg
tomorrow and 100 kg
in the future
e-Si for batteries:
Lower energy consumption
for production of e-Si than
for ESS and considerably
lower than for poly-Si.
10
Advanced materials shaping the future
SILICON TO LI-BATTERIES
Summary:
• A rapid growing market for Li-ion batteries
• Silicon has the highest capacity potentials for Li-ion
batteries, but expansion during lithiation can limit number of cycles.
• Initial R&D program has demonstrated (half-cell tests)1200 cycles and
double capacity -compared to present commercial standard values - by
using Silgrain® e-Si as anode material in Li-ion batteries.
• Further improvement of binder system and material homogeneity are
included in new R&D projects.
11
Advanced materials shaping the future