Siu On Tung, Macromolecular Science & Engineering PhD Student and member of Nick Kotov’s research group, pours a base to construct a kevlar battery membrane in the NCRC on January 21, 2014. Photo: Joseph Xu
ANN ARBOR'In an effort to make safer, longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries for technologies like electric vehicles, smartphones and laptops, a University of Michigan startup has formed a $1.5 million joint venture with two major players in the industry. Ann Arbor-based Elegus Technologies recently announced their new partnership with Michigan-based lithium-ion battery manufacturing companies XALT Energy and Energy Power Systems. Additional terms of the joint venture were not disclosed. Elegus has developed an advanced battery separator that allows for increased energy density in lithium-ion cells without compromising safety. Increased energy density means longer battery life, which translates to greater range-per-charge for an electric vehicle, for example. Elegus' separator is made from nanofibers extracted from Kevlar, the tough material in bulletproof vests. It blocks the formation of dendrites'metal tendrils that can grow and bridge across the electrodes, short the circuit and even cause a fire.
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