An otherwise forgotten mineral is now emerging as one of the most important minerals in the struggle for the better battery chemistry. Pure Lithium, a Boston-based start up, has captured the attention of many by pairing vanadium oxide cathodes with their lithium metal anode to create a new type of lithium battery. This new type of lithium-vanadium batteries has the potential to deliver more power and in lighter and more compact designs.
Emilie Bodoin, PureLithium’s CEO, explains the vanadium battery has significant advantages like high energy density and thermal stability. It presents a viable option to the widely used Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries in Electric Vehicles. Also, it should be noted that Vanadium is more plentiful in the USA than Copper further alleviating concerns about supply chain constraints regarding this material.
In terms of the production processes, Pure Lithium’s breakthrough allows the company to produce lithium metal batteries from “brine to battery” in under 48 hours. This effort may not only cut down the costs of production but may also accelerate the introduction to market of more efficient batteries that have uses in many applications.
Pure Lithium has a sense of optimism about the increasing likelihood of vanadium’s usage in the battery industry. patentees are adding another joint patent with Nobel laureate Stan Whittingham. The company is scaling up its Boston facility to mass-produce these batteries, which could be crucial in meeting the growing demand for electric vehicle and energy storage solutions.
With the changes in the market, it becomes evident that vanadium could transform battery design offering a safer and more efficient choice than the dominant battery chemistries today.
