24M partner Kyocera to validate process for mass production

24M says that its long-time partner and investor, Kyocera, plans to install capacity to validate the novel 24M SemiSolid manufacturing platform. The facility, under construction in Osaka, Japan, will support pilot production of residential solar + storage systems in the Japanese market. The 24M SemiSolid manufacturing platform is said to deliver a significant structural bill of materials advantage and requires substantially less upfront capital. Using electrolyte as the processing solvent in a binderless system, the SemiSolid platform allows for production of electrodes 4-5 times thicker than a conventional process. The use of thick electrodes significantly reduces inactive materials content – copper, aluminum and separator – yielding substantial cost savings. Moreover, using electrolyte as the processing solvent results in the elimination of numerous capital- and energy-intensive steps like drying, solvent recovery, calendaring and electrolyte filling, the company states in a press release. The elimination of these steps, and the reduction in plant footprint associated with the steps, is said to yield a capital reduction of up to 50%. “Kyocera considers the unique 24M SemiSolid approach the emerging standard for lithium-ion battery manufacturing,” says Masahiro Inagaki, Senior Executive Officer at Kyocera, in the press release. “The ability to cost-effectively manufacture advanced lithium-ion batteries can enable Kyocera to expand residential sales throughout Japan.” “Kyocera is a long-time investor and supportive partner of 24M and we look forward to realizing our shared vision for cost-effective lithium-ion battery manufacturing,” adds Naoki Ota, President and CTO of 24M. “Kyocera’s plans to use the 24M SemiSolid platform is validation that our low-capital, cost-effective approach is achievable at scale.”