Source : THE AGE NEWS
Critical Resources has scaled up its solid-state lithium-ion battery evaluation program, moving from laboratory coin cells to full-format, larger-scale pouch cells.
The milestone is a major validation of the company’s proprietary dry-spray deposition cathode, with electrochemical testing and cell conditioning already underway.
The process involved a standard scale-up, bridging the gap between raw laboratory chemistry and physical commercial application. While small coin batteries are used to prove basic chemical interactions, full-format pouch assemblies demonstrate that a cathode can be successfully built into a complete, working cell.
To test its dry spray deposition cathode technology before adding its proprietary sulphur-free solid-state electrolyte, Critical built the pouch cells using a conventional liquid electrolyte as a benchmark.During the early conditioning and charge and discharge cycles, the company says the cells behaved exactly as it had hoped.
‘This is early stage laboratory work,not commercial manufacturing,and we expect to solve problems as we go.’
Critical Resources managing director Tim Wither
The company is now putting its cathode through its paces, with testing focused on capacity, efficiency and durability to determine how the technology performs over the long haul.
Critical’s cathode composite is produced using a dry, room-temperature technique that relies entirely on 3D printing. Notably, the method requires absolutely no solvents, binders, furnace heating or heavy compression treatments to establish the layer.
Critical’s work on the new pouch cell has, for the first time, combined the company’s special solid electrolyte material with its dry spray printed cathode. Putting it directly into the new pouch cell is the final step that ties all the company’s work together.
While the advanced battery evaluation moves forward in the lab, the company continues to focus on a diversified critical metals portfolio.
Critical Resources managing director Tim Wither said: “Moving from coin cells to a full format pouch cell is the step that shows our dry spray process can build a real, working cell, not just prove the chemistry in a button cell.”
While the advanced battery evaluation moves forward in the lab, the company continues to focus on a diversified critical metals portfolio, including its flagship Mavis Lake lithium project in Ontario, Canada, which hosts a resource of 8.0 million tonnes grading 1.07 per cent lithium oxide.
Additionally, the company holds the Halls Peak base metals project in New South Wales and a developing gold exploration portfolio in New Zealand.
Next steps with the battery tech include completing internal electrochemical tests on battery cells and fine-tuning the technology ahead of third-party testing. The company’s next challenge will then be to bring its proprietary electrolyte and dry manufacturing technology together in a bid to develop a reliable, low-cost solid-state battery.
While many juniors are chasing the battery revolution from the mining end, Critical is attempting to play both sides of the fence. Armed with an 8-million-tonne lithium resource in Canada and an emerging solid-state battery technology platform, the company now heads into a pivotal phase where laboratory promise must start translating into independently validated performance.
If the next milestones fall into place, Critical could find itself holding a stake in both the raw materials and the future technology powering tomorrow’s batteries.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
