Cadenza Innovation and Syrah Resources have signed a long-term research and development agreement to use graphite anode technology in lithium-ion batteries for energy storage and other applications.
Syrah, a world leader in natural graphite development, is projected to have about 40 percent market share by 2020 of the world’s graphite production, Cadenza says.
Carbon graphite anode materials have dominated the lithium-ion industry since its early inception in the portable power segment. Today, lithium-ion batteries are critical for use in electric vehicles and grid markets.
“The graphite development, which Cadenza will lead for Syrah Resources, will enable more capacity and performance/safety/cost advantages to global markets,” Christina Lampe-Onnerud, founder and CEO of Cadenza tells Electronics360. “At the current market growth rate, which is unprecedented in our industry, there is a very large immediate and sustained demand for high quality, reliable lithium-ion batteries.”
Under terms of the agreement, both companies will develop and test advanced battery anode materials (BAM). The companies will establish an “Office of the CTO” for technology, customer engagement as well as support the processing plant Syrah established in Louisiana. Syrah will embed key personnel within Cadenza’s research, design and engineering team to develop carbon materials using a natural graphite base.
Lampe-Onnerud says the companies will work on various segments within the lithium-ion battery market, the most exciting growth is in the electric transport and energy storage market that is expected to experience tremendous growth in the next three to seven years.
