Titania Anodes for Sustainable, High-Power Batteries

Batteries are considered a key enabling technology to achieve climate neutrality and the ongoing electrification of society expands the use of batteries into new markets, like heavy-duty and marine electromobility and grid storage of renewable energy. However – new or improved battery solutions are needed. Buses, trains, ferries and grid storage need high-power batteries which are robust, safe, charge fast and can perform at both high and low temperatures. Titanium dioxide (titania) is a material able to provide just this. When titania is used as an anode material in Li-ion batteries, charging times below 10 minutes, increased safety and very low capacity losses even at -20°C are achievable. So why aren’t these robust batteries already on the market? Mainly due to cost-ineffective production methods of titania and low practically achieved battery capacities. Within this project, TioTech aim to solve these challenges by optimising a cost-effective production method for a titania anode material with high capacity, suitable for use in batteries. We are specialists on titania and its manufacturing process, and will use our knowledge to custom-make titania for Li-ion batteries. To develop the corresponding battery chemistry for titania, we are collaborating with SINTEF. The result will be a titania drop-in solution for battery cell producers – a solution which will speed up the electrification of new applications.

The ongoing electrification of society expands the use of batteries into new markets, like heavy-duty and marine electromobility and grid storage of renewable energy. In order to meet the need for rapid electrification of these applications within the Paris climate accord, new or improved battery solutions giving high-power, fast-charging and robust batteries have to be developed. Titania is a material pointed out to be able to do just this, with results demonstrating that charging times below 10 minutes, increased safety and very low capacity losses even at -20°C are achievable. However, titania anode materials are not yet a commercially available solution, mainly due to cost-ineffective production methods and low practically achieved capacities. Within this project, TioTech will leverage from the company`s extensive know-how about titania nanomaterials and its manufacturing to optimise a production process for a titania anode material suitable for processing in battery cell manufacturing. The material`s corresponding battery chemistry will be developed in collaboration with SINTEF, resulting in a titania drop-in solution for existing battery cell producers.