Echion Technologies has developed the active anode material XNO®, which combines fast-charging capability with high energy density. It is based on niobium oxide and is considered particularly environmentally friendly. Echion Technologies originated in the laboratories of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Cambridge and was spun out in 2017 with company headquarters in Sawston, near Cambridge (UK).
Close application testing through demonstration cell
EAS Batteries has developed and small-scale manufactured a cylindrical demonstration cell for Echion Technologies using the XNO® anode material. Echion's goal is to make the new active material available to potential customers in the form of a ready-to-use cell so that they can immediately test it for their applications. The large format round cell in the 46900 format is intended to complement the previous tests of the XNO® active material in button and smaller pouch cells. The requirement for the cell desired by Echion is an extremely fast charging capability of up to 7 C (which equates to a charging time of only about 8 minutes from 0 to 100%). This cell is intended, for example, to significantly reduce the charging times and thus the downtimes of trains or non-road mobile machines (NRMM).
Cell development: efficient, fast and environmentally friendly
The niobium-based anode material XNO® ensures fast charging. The development partnership between Echion and EAS has started to review previous test results and existing electrode formulations and to transfer and adapt them to the new target application of the large-format cylindrical cell. For the production of the electrodes, EAS used its patented extrusion process, so that the XNO® electrodes could also be produced in a much more environmentally friendly and energy-saving way than in the usual wet coating process. Thanks to its expertise and experience in the development of large format round cells, EAS designed and implemented the first demonstration cell in a way that was both of high quality and extremely fast. The long-term cyclisation of the new cell and the C-rate test are also carried out by EAS.
Triple added value and continuous improvement
EAS has already achieved Echion's desired parameters for its XNO® round cell in the first development round: The cell with a capacity of twenty ampere hours charges within about 8 minutes. In addition, EAS has achieved several extra values for Echion. The internal resistance of the demonstration cell is significantly lower than specified, at 0.5 milliohms (AC impedance at 50 % SoC and 1 kHz) and 2.0 milliohms (DC resistance at 50 % SoC and 2C [40 A] for 10 s). Furthermore, the efficient EAS extrusion process supports Echion's stated corporate goal of environmental friendliness - both in the manufacturing process and in the result of the electrodes being free of the hazardous solvent NMP. Moreover, EAS is now also using the new active material in other development projects.
Further cooperation between Echion and EAS is already planned. In the future, EAS will contribute additional ideas to the ongoing development of the cylindrical XNO® cells in order to further increase the charging rates through even lower internal resistance and improved heat dissipation.
Testimonial
"EAS Batteries achieved our development goals at the first attempt. Due to the fast delivery and the high quality of the demonstration cells, we can immediately and confidently offer our differentiated and high performing anode active material XNO® to the market for testing in various applications, especially those in heavy industry an off highway environments. EAS is now an agreed development partner for Echion - both in the process of continuous improvement and for the innovative cells of the future." Jean De La Verpilliere, Founder and CEO, Echion Technologies