Low Cost Solvent Free Manufacturing of Lithium IonProsmatic and Bipolar Cell Development for Advanced Vehicle Applications

The desire and benefit to improve the environment through the use of advanced electric drive vehicles is hampered by the high cost and associated manufacturing hazards associated with the manufacture of lithium ion batteries. The use of solvents in the lithium ion battery manufacturing process leads to high capital cost plants and subsequent recurring high manufacturing costs. Eskra Technical Products, Inc. believes it has developed a process which will significantly reduce costs of manufacturing and eliminated the use of solvents in the manufacturing process. Eskra Technical Products, Inc. has developed a proof of concept process which has eliminated the need for solvent casting of lithium ion electrodes. The active material is powder coated onto the desired current collector, eliminating solvents and lowering the cost of manufacturing. An additional benefit is improved performance and less wasted materials. The process is now ready to be applied to higher power applications, such as for advanced automotive. The program will benefit distributed energy systems such as smart grid, renewable energy storage such as used for wind and solar energy as well as consumer electronics and advanced automotive. Lower manufacturing cost as well as allowing flexible manufacturing will also allow for a more world competitive US battery industry.