advances in the performance of lac knife …€¦ · · 2017-03-28and expanded graphite in...
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ADVANCES IN THE PERFORMANCE OF LAC KNIFE NATURAL FLAKE AND EXPANDED GRAPHITE IN ELECTROCHEMICAL POWER SOURCES
34thInterna+onalBa/erySeminarMarch20to23,2017
Dr.JosephE.Doninger,DirectorofManufacturingandTechnologyGaryEconomo,PresidentandCEO
Lac Knife Graphite Project
OUTLINE
Introduc)onofSuperfineGradeofLacKnifeGraphite
ResultsfromExtendedLongTermCyclingTests
Conduc)vityofLacKnifeFlakeandExpandedGraphite
FutureDevelopmentPlans
v
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INTRODUCTION OF SUPERFINE GRADE OF LAC KNIFE GRAPHITE
LacKnifePurifiedFlakeGraphiteSuperfineGradeofSphericalGraphite
Fig.1 INITIAL GALVANOSTATIC CHARGE-DISCHARGE CURVES FOR SUPERFINE GRADE OF COATED SPG
D50 = 11.9μm
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Volta
ge,V
SpecificCapacity,mAh/g
FirstCharge
Firstdischarge 360.2mAh/g
364.6mAh/g
ICL:1.19%
Cell#1449.CR2016,counter:Li;Graphite:SuperfineGradeSurfaceCoatedSPG;Rate:C/20;Electrolyte1MLiPF6inFEC/EMC(30:70vol%)
Fig. 2 PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTIONS OF SUPERFINE, FINE AND STANDARD GRADES OF LAC KNIFE SPG
SuperfineSPGD50=11.9μm
StandardGradeSPGD50=23.9μm
FineGradeSPGD50=17.4μmRange:10-15µm
Range:23–29µm
Range:16–22µm
Table 1 COMPARISON OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL PERFORMANCE OF THREE GRADES OF LAC KNIFE SPHERICAL GRAPHITE (SPG)
FocusGraphiteCellTestSamples
ReversibleCapacity(mAh/g)
IrreversibleCapacityLoss% SurfaceArea(m2/g)
StandardCarbonCoatedSPGGrade(D50=23.9μm) 363.7 1.44% 0.48
FineCarbonCoatedSPGGrade(D50=17.4μm)
365.1 1.01% 1.14
SuperfineCarbonCoatedSPGGrade(D50=11.9μm)
360.2 1.19% 0.89
• NotethatthehighReversibleCapacityof360mAh/g,lowIrreversibleCapacityLossof1.19%andlowsurfaceareaof0.89m2/gforthenewSuperfineGradeofsphericalgraphitecompareveryfavorablywiththestandardandfinegrades
EXTENDED LONG TERM CYCLING TESTS OF LAC KNIFE GRAPHITE
20mm
Fig. 3 LONG TERM CYCLING PERFORMANCE OF LAC KNIFE GRAPHITE COMPARED WITH TWO COMMERCIAL Li ION GRADES OF FLAKE GRAPHITE
100
200
300
400
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Spec
ific
Cap
acity
, mA
h/g
Cycle Number
Spheronized Coated Standard Grade of Purified Lac Knife Graphite (Focus Graphite, Inc.) Commercial Lithium-Ion Battery Grade of Purified Coated Spheronized Natural Flake Graphite (Supplier #2) Commercial Lithium-Ion Battery Grade of Purified Coated Spheronized Natural Flake Graphite (Supplier #1)
Approx. 0% loss
6.4% loss
4.4% loss
AnodesweretestedinCR2016coincellspreparedwith1MLiPF6/EC/DMCelectrolyteandLifoilreference/counterelectrodes.
Fig. 4 EXTENDED LONG TERM CYCLING PERFORMANCE OF LAC KNIFE GRAPHITE COMPARED WITH TWO COMMERCIAL GRADES OF COATED SPHERICAL GRAPHITE
LacKnifeChargeCapacity
LacKnifeDischargeCapacity
SupplierDischargeCapacity#1
SupplierDischargeCapacity#2
10.5%
4.5% Coincellswerecycledbetween0.003and1.5volts.Forma)onwascarriedoutwithC/10currentdensityandcyclingwascarriedoutatthesamevoltagelimitsatC/10
SpecificCa
pacitym
Ah/g
11.7%loss
ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF LAC KNIFE GRAPHITE
LacKnifePurifiedFlakeGraphite LacKnifeExpandedGraphite
SCOPE OF EXPANDED RESISTIVITY STUDIES Ba/eryFormula+onsTested• LiNiCoO2(LithiumIonBa/eries)• Zn/MnO2(AlkalineBa/eries)GraphitesEvaluatedFlakeGraphite• LacKnifePurifiedGrades,D50=21,16,10&7μm• CommercialPurifiedGrade,D50=6&9.5μm• LacKnifeExpandedGrades,D50=21,15.8&3.5μm• CommercialExpandedGrade,D50=9.5μmSynthe+cGraphite• CommercialLiIonGrade,D50=3.5μm• CommercialAlkalineGrade,D50=9μmCarbonBlackAddedtoCathodeMixes• 4%inLiIonMix• 0%inAlkalineMix
Fig. 5 RESISTIVITIES OF LAC KNIFE AND COMMERCIAL GRAPHITES IN Li ION CATHODE MATRIX LiNiMnCoO2
PremiumQualitySynthe)cGraphite,D50=3.5μmCommercialFlakeGraphite,D50=6μm
LacKnifeExpandedGraphite,D50=3.5μm
LacKnifeExpandedGraphite,D50=15.8μm
LowestResis)vity/HighestConduc)vity
Fig. 6 RESISTIVITIES OF LAC KNIFE FLAKE AND COMMERCIAL GRAPHITES IN ALKALINE CATHODE MATRIX MnO2
LacKnifeFlakeGraphiteD50=21μmLacKnifeFlakeGraphiteD50=16μmCommercialFlakeGraphiteD50=9.5μmLacKnifeFlakeGraphite,D50=10μmCommercialSynthe)cGraphite,D50=9μmLacKnifeFlakeGraphite,D50=7μm
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Fig. 7 RESISTIVITIES OF LAC KNIFE AND COMMERCIAL EXPANDED GRAPHITES IN ALKALINE CATHODE MATRIX: MnO2
vLacKnifeExpandedGraphite,D50=21μm
LacKnifeExpandedGraphite,D50=15.75μm
CommercialExpandedGraphite,D50=9.5μm
LacKnifeExpandedGraphite,D50=3.5μm
FUTURE LAC KNIFE DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Commercial• Nego)a)onscon)nuingonoff-takeagreements• Projectfinancingdiscussionsongoing
Ba/eries• Conductextendedlongtermcyclingteststo1000+cycles• DevelopnewgradeofSPGforuseinhighpowerapplica)ons• Developsiliconmodifiedgraphiteforhighcapacityapplica)ons• Con)nueworkontheuseofexpandedgraphiteincathodes
MiningandProcessing• Con)nueworkingwithQuebecGov’ttoobtainpermitsrequired
undertheEnvironmentalandSocialImpactAssessment(EISA)• Readytoproceedwithdetailedengineering• Con)nueworkonthedesignofthespecialtyproductsplant
DISCLAIMER Thispresenta)oncontains“forward-lookinginforma)on”withinthemeaningofCanadiansecuri)eslegisla)on.Allinforma)oncontainedhereinthatisnotclearlyhistoricalinnaturemaycons)tuteforward-lookinginforma)on.Generally,suchforward-lookinginforma)oncanbeiden)fiedbytheuseofforward-lookingterminologysuchas“plans”,“expects”or“doesnotexpect”,“isexpected”,“budget”,“scheduled”,“es)mates”,“forecasts”,“intends”,“an)cipates”or“doesnotan)cipate”,or“believes”,orvaria)onsofsuchwordsandphrasesorstatethatcertainac)ons,eventsorresults“may”,“could”,“would”,“might”or“willbetaken”,“occur”or“beachieved”.Forward-lookinginforma)onissubjecttoknownandunknownrisks,uncertain)esandotherfactorsthatmaycausetheactualresults,levelofac)vity,performanceorachievementsoftheCompanytobemateriallydifferentfromthoseexpressedorimpliedbysuchforward-lookinginforma)on,includingbutnotlimitedto:(i)vola)lestockprice;(ii)thegeneralglobalmarketsandeconomiccondi)ons;(iii)thepossibilityofwrite-downsandimpairments;(iv)theriskassociatedwithexplora)on,developmentandopera)onsofmineraldeposits;(v)theriskassociatedwithestablishing)tletomineralproper)esandassets;(vi)therisksassociatedwithenteringintojointventures;(vii)fluctua)onsincommodityprices;(viii)therisksassociatedwithuninsurablerisksarisingduringthecourseofexplora)on,developmentandproduc)on;(ix)compe))onfacedbytheresul)ngissuerinsecuringexperiencedpersonnelandfinancing;(x)accesstoadequateinfrastructuretosupportmining,processing,developmentandexplora)onac)vi)es;(xi)therisksassociatedwithchangesintheminingregulatoryregimegoverningtheresul)ngissuer;(xii)therisksassociatedwiththevariousenvironmentalregula)onstheresul)ngissuerissubjectto;(xiii)risksrelatedtoregulatoryandpermijngdelays;(xiv)risksrelatedtopoten)alconflictsofinterest;(xv)therelianceonkeypersonnel;(xvi)liquidityrisks;(xvii)theriskofpoten)aldilu)onthroughtheissueofcommonshares;(xviii)theCompanydoesnotan)cipatedeclaringdividendsinthenearterm;(xix)theriskofli)ga)on;and(xx)riskmanagement.Forward-lookinginforma)onisbasedonassump)onsmanagementbelievestobereasonableatthe)mesuchstatementsaremade,includingbutnotlimitedto,con)nuedexplora)onac)vi)es,nomaterialadversechangeinmetalprices,explora)onanddevelopmentplansproceedinginaccordancewithplansandsuchplansachievingtheirstatedexpectedoutcomes,receiptofrequiredregulatoryapprovals,andsuchotherassump)onsandfactorsassetoutherein.AlthoughtheCompanyhasakemptedtoiden)fyimportantfactorsthatcouldcauseactualresultstodiffermateriallyfromthosecontainedintheforward-lookinginforma)on,theremaybeotherfactorsthatcauseresultsnottobeasan)cipated,es)matedorintended.Therecanbenoassurancethatsuchforward-lookinginforma)onwillprovetobeaccurate,asactualresultsandfutureeventscoulddiffermateriallyfromthosean)cipatedinsuchforward-lookinginforma)on.Suchforward-lookinginforma)onhasbeenprovidedforthepurposeofassis)nginvestorsinunderstandingtheCompany’sbusiness,opera)onsandexplora)onplansandmaynotbeappropriateforotherpurposes.Accordingly,readersshouldnotplaceunduerelianceonforward-lookinginforma)on.Forward-lookinginforma)onismadeasofthedateofthispressrelease,andtheCompanydoesnotundertaketoupdatesuchforward-lookinginforma)onexceptinaccordancewithapplicablesecuri)eslaws.
THANK YOU Dr. Joseph E. Doninger PhD, MSc, BSc. Director of Manufacturing and Technology T +1 (224) 436-4835 E [email protected]
Focus Graphite Inc. 945 Princess St. Kingston, Ontario K7M 0E9 CANADA T +1 (613) 241-4040 E [email protected] W www.focusgraphite.com