A groundbreaking battery prototype features a new electrode devoid of permanent chemicals (PFA), boasting a 20% increase in energy density and enhanced environmental friendliness.

Ateios Systems, a US-based battery component manufacturer, has announced the successful creation of the RaiCore high voltage lithium cobalt oxide (HV LCO) electrode, as reported by Interesting Engineering on July 10. This innovative electrode facilitates the development of the world’s first rechargeable lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) battery that is free from perfluoroalkoxy, a type of PFA, or permanent chemical.

Illustration of batteries, popular products in electronic devices. (Photo: iStock).

According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), PFAs encompass over 4,700 chemicals, which are man-made and persist in the human body and the environment over time. Known as permanent chemicals due to their extreme durability, PFAs are associated with health issues including liver damage, thyroid disease, obesity, reproductive problems, and cancer.

The battery prototypes utilizing RaiCore electrodes, developed by Ateios Systems, exhibit a 15-20% higher energy density compared to standard LCO batteries. Additionally, they retain over 80% of their capacity after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles at 1 degree Celsius and 100% discharge depth.

Ateios Systems states that the new electrode will be competitively priced with other cobalt-based electrodes. The manufacturing process of this electrode employs PFA-free and energy-curable polymers, replacing traditional heat-curing polymers.

The current lithium-ion battery market primarily caters to consumer durables and various electronic products such as smartphones, wearables, power tools, and drones. The new LCO battery addresses this market segment, offering a more environmentally friendly option.

Ateios Systems has partnered with several device developers to assess the real-world performance and integration capabilities of RaiCore. Among these partners is Softmatter, a technology company specializing in soft goods. Softmatter plans to incorporate the new electrode into a range of devices, including wearables and augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) devices.