Ionic Mineral Technologies launches nano-silicon product for Li-ion cell manufacturers

Ionic Mineral Technologies, a developer of advanced silicon anode battery materials, launched its Generation 1 Ionisil nano-silicon product for Li-ion cell manufacturers. (Earlier post.) This is a drop-in solution for lithium-ion batteries that delivers high energy density and fast charging capabilities, making it suited for use in electric vehicles (EVs) and other applications requiring high-performance batteries.

Ionisil is a full or partial graphite replacement for lithium-ion battery anodes and is a scalable solution enabling significantly higher battery capacity and faster charging (Photo: Ionic Mineral Technologies).

The Generation 1 Ionisil product has been independently validated by outside EV OEM production labs, demonstrating an all-silicon battery’s capability to achieve reversible capacity of 2700 mAh/g and 2500 mAh/g at a 2000 mAh fast charging rate in half-cell testing. The initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 85% is a significant achievement without any prelithiation. This silicon electrode was produced from an aqueous slurry highlighting the true ‘drop in’ nature of Ionisil, the company said.

Tests of electrodes that blend Ionisil with graphite showed that a 15% Ionisil substitution of graphite in a water-based CMC/SBR binder system achieves 91% ICE and 740 mAh/g stable capacity, more than doubling the capacity of pure graphite anode. This technology can increase the capacity at the anode level by >100% compared to graphite batteries.

In commercial applications it is expected that this 15% Ionisil substitution in graphite will lead to a lithium-ion battery with 20% more capacity, which is 20% more miles per charge. In addition, Ionisil will add zero cost per unit of capacity to existing batteries.

Under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), to be eligible for the $7,500 tax credit, consumers must purchase EVs with batteries that use at least 40% of minerals extracted and processed in the US. Ionic Mineral Technologies’ Ionisil nano-silicon material is sourced from their own halloysite deposits in Utah and manufactured in-state, offering a domestic solution to next-generation, high-capacity battery materials.

The Ionic MT proprietary, continuous manufacturing process is among the lowest carbon footprint processes for producing battery materials, the company claims.

Based on phase 1 drilling of its Halloysite Hills deposit in Utah, Ionic MT’s initial reserves are capable of producing more than 600,000 metric tons of finished nano-silicon over the life of the mine, equivalent to 4.5 million metric tons of synthetic graphite. Based on Ionisil having 7.5x higher capacity, the Halloysite Hills deposit is able to supply 50 million new electric vehicles, the company calculates.

Ionic MT is moving to a new 36,000-square-foot facility in September 2023. Opening the new facility will enable Ionic MT to commence commercial-scale nano-silicon production, working towards an initial 2,000 metric tons per year and scaling to 30,000 metric tons.