By: Franyi Sarmiento, Ph.D., Inspenet, August 16, 2022
Group1, based in Austin (USA), aims to commercialize cathode materials for potassium-ion batteries. The startup, claims that its Prussian white potassium cathode materials (KPW) lead to fast-charging, high-efficiency and safer potassium-ion batteries, and that these can be a sustainable and definitive alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
Founded last year, Group1 is led by its three co-founders, CEO Alexander Girau, Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Yakov Kutsovsky and Product Manager Dr. Leigang Xue, who invented Group1’s patented KPW technology as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of John B. Goodenough, the inventor of the lithium-ion battery.
“As our transition away from fossil fuels accelerates, demand for lithium-ion batteries is skyrocketing rapidly, and our lithium supplies will soon be unable to meet that demand. Group1 and potassium-ion batteries may offer a viable alternative to fill this supply gap,” explained Alexander Girau, CEO of Group1.
It can reach capacities of 120 mAh/g, which is only 60% of lithium-ion, and also has a lower energy density due to its open structure. The latter makes it suitable for the energy storage systems (ESS) space.
It uses much more abundant materials, such as potassium, manganese and iron, which are more suitable than nickel, cobalt and lithium, whose prices have increased in the last year.
The lack of potassium-ion cathode producers at scale is another hurdle, commercial production of such batteries is expected to be close to 2030, unless a large chemistry-interested producer accelerates it.
Group1 claims that the potassium used in its technology is 1,000 times more abundant than lithium and 20 times more affordable, although the latter claim may depend largely on recent price increases. It also claims that its battery has a better safety profile than lithium-ion and faster and more efficient charging, and that it can be easily integrated into existing graphite anode materials, electrolytes, cell design and lithium-ion manufacturing.
This material from ecoinventos.com was edited for clarity, style and length.
Source: https://ecoinventos.com/group1-quiere-comercializar-primera-bateria-potasio-del-mundo/
Photo: Group1
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