China becomes world’s second-largest holder of lithium reserves, Xinhua reports
China's lithium reserves have risen from 6% to 16.5% of the global total, state media reported.
Battery technology company Pure Lithium has announced results it says have never been previously reported from lithium metal battery cycling, adding that this further proves its technology’s commercial viability.
The privately held, Boston-based startup says it has invented a unique lithium metal battery that swaps nickel and cobalt for vanadium — and that it has found a way to make lithium batteries from scratch going from “from brine to battery” in less than 48 hours.
The company said its battery outperforms lithium-ion and doesn’t require graphite, which is almost entirely processed in China.
Pure Lithium’s pouch cells, utilizing lithium metal anode made from inexpensive lithium brine coupled with a proprietary electrolyte have now achieved over 2,200 cycles at a rate of 1 hour charge and 1 hour discharge, while retaining upwards of 80% capacity, it said in a news release on Monday.
The cycles are at 100% depth of discharge as opposed to “full cycle equivalents” or “projected cycles” as reported by competitors, the company said, adding that the cells are still cycling.
“I am thrilled to announce these transformational cycling results which competitors have not come close to achieving,” founder and CEO Emilie Bodoin said. “Lithium metal batteries are the holy grail of energy storage, having twice the capacity and half the weight of today’s lithium-ion battery.”
Bodoin said these results exceed the commercial specifications and deliver longer duration for any application currently met by lithium-ion batteries.
The company pairs its lithium metal anode with a vanadium oxide cathode that was invented by Nobel Prize winner Stan Whittingham, a key figure in the history of Li-ion batteries.
The company’s intellectual property portfolio (73 patents pending) includes a joint patent application with Professor Whittingham, who did the testing to demonstrate the better safety profile.
In October 2024, Pure Lithium acquired all the assets of Dimien Inc., a private US vanadium cathode materials company. The company also acquired Dimien’s intellectual property, manufacturing equipment and an experienced team, which it says will accelerate the development of its lithium metal vanadium battery.
In the same year, Pure Lithium won the startup Coup de Coeur Award at the World Materials Forum for its battery-ready lithium metal electrode and received the best new project award at Fastmarkets, competing against several more mature companies.
Oxy Low Carbon Ventures has invested $15 million in Pure Lithium, while Canadian firm E3 Lithium has been supplying the company with concentrate.
Comments