To extract more capacity from electric vehicle batteries, automakers are increasingly turning to silicon. Silicon, a widely available but fragile material, is expected to increase capacity by at least 20%.
Sila, Group14, Envoix, and Amprius are all working to commercialize their silicon anode technology in hopes of meeting consumer desire for even greater EV range.
Ionobel, a seed-stage startup, hopes to top that list by claiming its silicon material is cheaper than existing competitors.
This small startup has an approach most similar to Sila and Group14. Both established companies impregnate porous graphite structures with silicone. Sila also adds a coating to the particles. According to the company's patents, Ionobell appears to have flipped the script. It starts with a porous silicon structure rather than a graphite structure, and surrounds it with a coating.
“It doesn't inflate,” Ionobell co-founder and CEO Robert Neivert told TechCrunch. “Like dropping a Nerf ball into water, it gets absorbed without changing the outer shell.”
Silicon can accept 10 times more lithium ions than graphite. However, because it expands significantly during this process, regular silicon anodes can break down after repeated use. This weakness prevents manufacturers from incorporating too much of the element, usually less than 10%.
Still, the promise of silicon is too great to ignore.
Ionobel's silicon supply comes from waste, which helps reduce costs, Nibert said. “Most of the cost savings are in materials,” he said, adding that Ionobel's material is cheaper than graphite.
Mr. Niebert first encountered Ionobel as an investor. Initially, he said, “we rejected it as an investment,” and he gave all the reasons why auto suppliers wouldn't adopt his technology. The team went back to work and solved the problem to Neibert's satisfaction, including adapting the material for use in widely used manufacturing equipment. Neivert found the initial funding and he joined as CEO.
The last round closed in 2020, according to Pitchbook. But recently, Ionobell completed his $3.9 million seed expansion at an unspecified price, he learned exclusively from TechCrunch. Dynamo Ventures and Trucks VC led the round.
Such extensions are becoming more common as deep tech companies are short on capital but struggle to raise new pricing rounds as the market begins to reset after a frothy start in the 2020s. It has become.
Like other battery materials companies, Ionobell faces a difficult road. The verification process required by car companies can be long and difficult. Not all substances can pass through it.
In addition, competitors such as Group14 and Sila are also nearing commercialization, with their silicon-rich anodes expected to hit the market as early as this year or next.
Ionobel has a lot of ground to make, but the promise of lower prices could be a tailwind. Either way, the next wave of lithium-ion technology innovation is just around the corner, and silicon is leading the way.