24M presents innovative battery separator

The US battery cell developer 24M, which is supported by Volkswagen, is presenting a battery separator called Impervio. The new technology is designed to significantly improve the safety of lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries and will be ready for the market in one to two years.

24m-technologies-symbolbild — Image: 24M Technologies

According to 24M, Impervio prevents the formation of metallic dendrites and electrode misalignments and continuously monitors the battery cell, which should enable early fault detection. The new battery separator is intended to be suitable for use in cells for electric vehicles as well as stationary energy storage systems. The US company plans to launch Impervio on the market in 2025 or 2026 and says it is already working with production and licence partners to this end.

“The comprehensive safety enhancements that 24M Impervio demonstrates are essential to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles and ESS that rely on next-generation battery technologies,” said Naoki Ota, CEO of 24M. The ability to prevent dendrites and detect internal defects could enable the commercialisation of a new class of large-area, high-energy density batteries based on lithium-metal and silicon-dominant chemistries.

The new separator can be integrated into both conventional lithium-ion batteries and lithium-metal cells – such as the semi-solid cells with which 24M has made a name for itself. According to the developer, the cells are characterised by a simple structure and a semi-solid electrolyte. However, the US company is also striving for innovations at pack level: They recently presented their new ETOP battery system at the Japan Mobility Show. The abbreviation stands for “Electrode-to-Pack” and means that the electrodes are integrated directly into the battery pack without cells.

Volkswagen acquired a 25 per cent stake in 24M at the beginning of 2022. The company emerged from the battery manufacturer A123 in 2010. 24M took a major step towards the commercialisation of its sem i-solid technology at the beginning of 2021, when it announced a licensing agreement with the Norwegian company Freyr. Freyr wants to manufacture battery cells based on 24M technology at its battery factory in Mo i Rana, but these are more likely to be used in maritime applications and stationary storage systems.

24-m.com