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Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) has been awarded a contract from the Defense Logistics Agency to develop a new process to apply a separator layer as a coating directly to the surface of battery electrodes.
PSI’s directly applied (DA) separator method will simplify the traditional process of “stacking,” in which separator films are woven through stacks of battery electrodes. The DA method will improve manufacturing speeds and reduce the cost of lithium ion batteries in the DLA supply chain, and will also mitigate safety risks associated with traditional stacking and improve cell performance. The separator layer is deposited on the surface using a rapid, low-cost manufacturing process that can readily be inserted into the back end of the electrode coating/calendaring line.
PSI’s DA separator process will be targeted for cell manufacturers producing electric vehicle (EV) battery cells. Conventional separator raw materials contribute to 12-16% of the total of the cost of the EV cell. It is anticipated that the DA separator process will reduce the cost of the separator by 87%. Elimination of separator stacking will also reduce capital equipment costs and direct labor, further reducing the total cost of the cell.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Christopher Lang
Area Manager, Energy Technologies
lang@psicorp.com
Physical Sciences Inc.
Telephone: (978) 689-0003