Carbon electrodes, a major breakthrough in the performance of electric car batteries

Carbon electrodes promise a major breakthrough in the performance of electric vehicle batteries. The new technology is said to bring “revolutionary improvements in power, energy, cycle life and charging time”. While the automotive industry is trying to improve electric vehicle batteries (EV) through new cell technology, one company has focused on improving the humble electrode.

The French company NAWA Technologies is promoting what it calls the Ultra-Fast Carbon Electrode, an evolution of the electrical conductor that acts as the terminal through which electric current passes between two media. It is based on the same vertically aligned carbon nanotube technology used in the company’s ultracapacitors.

NAWA states that the materials and design of current electrodes are “one of the main limitations on battery energy, power and cycle life”, because they rely on inefficient powders with low electrical, thermal and ionic conductivity. They can also suffer early delamination and degradation.

Carbon electrodes: the solution to electric car range?

The ultra-fast carbon electrode uses 100 billion carbon nanotubes aligned vertically per square centimetre, which dramatically increases ionic, electrical and thermal conductivity. It is said to increase battery energy by a factor of 10, energy storage by a factor of three and substantially extend battery life. It is also said to reduce charging times “to minutes instead of hours” and, as a result, to generate cost savings.

NAWA Technologies also claims that the dry electrode technology is easily recyclable at the end of its longer life cycle. NAWA also estimates that the battery’s CO2 footprint could be reduced by up to 60%, because less active material is required. Although still under development, NAWA Technologies says the new electrode system will be ready for the market in just 12 months. However, production is not expected to begin until 2023.

Several types of electrode can be produced depending on the relevant application, with electrodes capable of working with existing or more advanced battery chemistries, NAWA Technologies has said. In addition, the company has stated that it is entering mass production at its base in the south of France. Carbon, besides being high-performance, is also clean. Carbon is abundant, accessible and natural. Furthermore, the environmental impact of the manufacturing process is minimised.

It is important to highlight that the heart of NAWA’s innovation is a very special material called VACNT, which are vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. “They are grown under specific controlled conditions. These nanotubes are fine hair-like strands, each standing upright on one end, incredibly thin but incredibly long, forming a very dense carpet.”