NEO Battery Materials to integrate recycled silicon into silicon anode materials

NEO Battery Materials, a developer of silicon anode materials, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with an Asia-based producer of high-purity silicon powder through recycling silicon by-product waste from solar photovoltaic cell and semiconductor manufacturing. The recycler will remain confidential until officially disclosed.

The purpose is to enhance the price competitiveness of silicon anode materials significantly for electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries by integrating the recycler’s cost-reduced, recycled silicon input into NEO’s proprietary silicon anode materials, NBMSiDE.

NEO’s three products—NBMSiDE-P100, NBMSiDE-P200, and NBMSiDE-C100—are manufactured through NEO’s proprietary nanocoating technology and are based on metallurgical-grade silicon with purities of at least 99.95%. NEO’s products have all achieved an initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) greater than 86%, and high specific capacity (>2500 mAh/g). In addition, an ICE of 92% or higher can be attained when NEO’s silicon is mixed with existing graphite anodes.

Compared to the current metal silicon input for NBMSiDE, the recycler’s silicon waste recycling technology may enable NEO Battery Materials to realize a substantial price reduction in the silicon input by 30% and up to 40%.

In early January, the Company expects to receive recycled high-purity silicon and conduct sample testing to assess for performance, viability, and collaboration/research direction.Further silicon input price reductions will enhance NBMSiDE price competitiveness compared to existing high-priced competitors. NEO may also uniquely secure a long-term supply and stable price of silicon input through recycled silicon by-product waste from solar energy & semiconductor industries.

NEO has also discussed with the recycler collaborative opportunities to enter the North American market. More collaboration and joint development activities with lithium-ion battery supply chain players are expected in the upcoming year.

High-purity silicon recovery from solar & semiconductor silicon by-product waste. In the process of manufacturing polysilicon, silicon ingots, and wafers for solar cells and semiconductors, substantial amounts of by-product waste that contains silicon particles are produced. Thus far, this by-product waste has been disposed of due to the lack of secondary use through recycling.

The recycler has developed its recycling technology and know-how for more than 20 years to recover high-purity silicon from silicon by-product waste. As opposed to traditional, carbon-intensive methods to manufacture silicon particles, the Recycler offers a low-cost silicon recovery method that enables close-looped manufacturing of silicon anode materials.

Posted on 30 December 2022 in Batteries, Manufacturing, Materials, Recycling | Permalink | Comments (0)