Technology | Nanoramic

Neocarbonix at the Core

Neocarbonix® at the Core is an electrode technology that revolutionizes battery manufacturing by removing the most limiting materials from the battery. This creates massive savings and improvements in the manufacturing process, which enables high-performance, low-cost electric vehicle (EV) batteries with a reduced carbon footprint. This is possible by eliminating toxic chemical solvents and fluorinated binders used in conventional batteries. Instead, Neocarbonix uses a hyper-conductive 3D nano-carbon binding structure, which serves both as electronically conductive network and mechanical framework that holds the electrode together.

Neocarbonix is a drop-in technology and compatible with existing battery manufacturing equipment and can be applied to all battery types, chemistries, and form factors. This means Neocarbonix’s benefits are possible using today’s gigafactories, while having flexibility to grow with the EV industry.

Active
Material

Binding Additive

Conductive Additive

Neocarbonix at the Core

What Makes Neocarbonix Different?

3D Carbon Binding Structure

Conventional Li-ion batteries use plastic fluorinated binders (PVDF) like a glue to hold battery material together. They also require toxic NMP solvent in order to dissolve PVDF during battery manufacturing.

Neocarbonix replaces this binder with a 3D carbon binding structure, which improves both the electric conductivity and mechanical properties of the battery. Additionally, this eliminates the need for NMP solvent. By replacing conventional battery binder and solvent. Neocarbonix unlocks a wide range of benefits for Li-ion batteries and therefore, EVs.

Performance

Energy Density & Range

Batteries made with Neocarbonix have up to 35% higher energy density than conventional Li-ion batteries and therefore enable EVs with about 30% longer driving range. This allows EV drivers to make fewer stops and have the freedom to take longer trips without planning every pit stop.

This is possible due to Neocarbonix's high electric conductivity which allows a thicker active material layer. As a result, the whole cell needs less electrode layers to have the same energy. This also reduces the amount of inactive material (binder and conductive additives) within the Neocarbonix active layer.

Fast Charge & Power

Batteries with Neocarbonix technology have been tested to charge in less than 15 min, which is 30 min less than the market average of 45.

Unlike conventional batteries, Neocarbonix avoids the typical drawback of having to sacrifice between energy density and power, by simultaneously offering increased energy density and enabling fast charging through high power capabilities.

45 Minute
Charge

<15 Minute
Charge

Sustainability

A Cleaner Battery for a Cleaner Future

Non-toxic Solvent: Neocarbonix eliminates toxic NMP solvent and PVDF, a PFAS chemical, from battery production. This enables battery manufacturers to prepare for potential upcoming regulations and related supply chain risks regarding NMP and PFAS.
Reduced Carbon Footprint: Neocarbonix reduces the carbon footprint of Li-ion battery manufacturing by 25%. This is possible by eliminating the need for NMP, which makes the drying stage of electrode manufacturing very energy intensive due to its high boiling point and low vapor pressure. By using water or alcohol solvents, Neocarbonix requires less energy during the drying stage of manufacturing and therefore emits less C02.
Improved Recyclability: Neocarbonix improves the recyclability of Li-ion batteries by eliminating PVDF, which needs to be broken down upon battery disassembly. Neocarbonix NMC cathodes can be designed without the use of any polymeric binder which makes them the right candidate for direct recycling. This means that the active material of the electrodes can be directly reused without hydrothermal treatment that would dissolve the active material down to its atoms first and build them up again, which is a highly energy demanding process.

Cost

Lower Cost Through Higher Efficiency

Neocarbonix reduces the amount of inactive material needed to make a battery and therefore lowers material costs.
In the manufacturing process, Neocarbonix increases throughput by 50% on the coating lines due to the higher electrode loading, saving capex and operating costs.
Neocarbonix uses solvents that dry faster than conventionally used NMP solvent which reduces operation costs.
Due to the improved recyclability, scrap electrodes can be more efficiently recycled, also allowing directly re-feeding in the production process.

Existing Factory Retrofit

New Factory

Source: Porsche Consulting Neocarbonix® Cost Report

When using Neocarbonix® Si-dominant technology with LFP cathode in a 50-kWh battery pack
When constructing a new 20 GWh cell factory when using Neocarbonix® Si-dominant technology
When retrofitting an existing 20 GWh factory with Neocarbonix® Si-dominant technology

Neocarbonix is a drop-in replacement for today's battery manufacturing processes and equipment. This makes each of the above mentioned benefits possible without investing money or time into altering existing gigafactories.

Flexibility

A Drop-in Technology

Drop-in Replacement for Existing Battery Technology

Directly Compatible with Today's Manufacturing Equipment

Enabling Next-Gen EV's, Today

The Neocarbonix Process

From Slurry to Cell

The Neocarbonix process starts with a mixture called a slurry, which contains active material, electrolyte, and proprietary Neocarbonix material.
Using a standard coating machine, this mixture is then cast onto cathode (positive electrode) and anode (negative electrode) current collectors, creating electrode rolls.
A standard calendaring machine is then used to reduce the porosity of the electrode through compaction.
Lastly, strips of the cathode and anode are placed inside a battery cell, which comes in a variety of form factors, such as the pouch cell and cylindrical cell seen below.

Slurry

Electrode Roll

Calendaring Machine

Pouch Cell