The graphene/all-solid-state LR41 battery production line is in doubt. The density of power lithium batteries continues to break through.

Under the stimulus of the subsidy amount, the energy density of domestic power batteries has been breaking through.

Recently, Qingdao Guoxuan Battery Co., Ltd. revealed that the main construction of the second phase project has been completed, trial production will be carried out in late August, and it is planned to be officially put into production in September. The project will produce 32131 high-energy density cylindrical lithium iron phosphate batteries with a single cell energy density of 180Wh/kg. Passenger cars using this battery can have a range of more than 300km. With the development and application of a variety of new materials and new technologies, Guoxuan High-tech plans to increase the lithium iron phosphate single cell to 200Wh/kg in 2019, with the goal of reaching 220Wh/kg in 2020.

Coincidentally, many battery manufacturers have also stated that they will mass-produce 160wh/kg lithium iron phosphate batteries this year, and plan to reach 175-185Wh/kg next year.

Objectively speaking, the specific energy of lithium iron phosphate battery monomers reaches 200wh/kg, which is still far behind that of ternary batteries. However, it is a great breakthrough for lithium iron phosphate batteries themselves, breaking the ceiling level previously considered by the industry.

In fact, energy density itself is not the technical advantage of lithium iron phosphate batteries, but safety and cycle life performance are its advantages. However, under the direct linkage between subsidy amount and energy density, a large number of battery companies have begun to take improving battery energy density as their primary goal. The improvement paths are similar, but the effects are different based on the mastery of battery technology and the level of their own manufacturing process by different battery manufacturers.

Judging from the batteries that are currently used in the new models announced by battery companies, the energy density of lithium iron phosphate batteries has been greatly improved compared with last year. The energy density of lithium iron phosphate battery systems currently used in the field of new energy buses has generally reached more than 140wh/kg, and is sprinting towards the target of 150wh/kg, which is a significant increase from the average level of 115-120wh/kg last year.

However, from the perspective of the improvement path, the main way for battery companies to improve the energy density of lithium iron phosphate batteries is to increase the compaction density and voltage level of the positive electrode material, increase the shell size, and lightweight the module and battery pack.

However, the above methods can no longer meet the requirement of 200wh/kg for the single-cell specific energy. It is necessary to improve and upgrade the most critical material system, but this is not easy and may cause serious consequences if not carefully.

Industry insiders pointed out that if the lithium iron phosphate-graphite system is still used, the compaction will not be greatly improved, and the energy density of lithium iron phosphate monomers will hardly reach 200Wh/kg or above. The energy density can be improved by adding silicon to the negative electrode, but it will cause the cycle performance of lithium iron phosphate to deteriorate and its safety cannot be guaranteed.

A phenomenon worthy of attention is that battery companies are competing to improve energy density under the pressure of subsidy policies and the requirements of OEMs. However, power batteries are a complex system integration, in which safety is the primary condition, followed by energy density and cycle life. However, from the current situation, domestic power battery companies seem to be putting the cart before the horse, blindly pursuing energy density while ignoring battery safety, which is a great threat and hidden danger to China's new energy vehicle industry.

Let's take a look at the new technologies and major events in the LR41 battery industry this week.

1. The 6.2 billion graphene LR41 battery project will be put into production in September

Recently, Hunan Awell New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Awell New Energy") officially signed a cooperation agreement with Loudi High-tech Zone for its graphene LR41 battery project. The project has a total investment of 6.2 billion yuan and is divided into three phases. The first phase invested 200 million yuan and officially started construction in November 2017. Currently, the automated production line and the pilot production line of the R&D center are being installed. The equipment will be installed and debugged in June and is scheduled to be officially put into production at the end of September.

Awell New Energy said that after the completion and production of the first phase of the graphene LR41 battery project, it is expected to produce 100-150 million Ah of high-end digital and energy storage batteries annually, with an output value of 500-700 million yuan. When the third phase is completed, Awell New Energy will produce 12GWh of energy storage and power batteries annually, with annual sales revenue of 26 billion yuan.

Comment: The story of graphene can be told in the field of lithium batteries for at least ten years, so we often hear news of the successful development or production of graphene lithium batteries every once in a while, but we don’t have to take it seriously, because as long as it dares to claim to be a graphene battery, it can be ignored, not to mention the application. However, it is still quite effective to use the graphene story to attract some investment and circle some land, and then use it for other things.

2. Graphene's super energy storage method allows batteries to charge quickly

Researchers at Swinburne University have invented a new flexible energy storage technology that can quickly replace batteries for cars, mobile phones, etc.

The new super battery (actually a supercapacitor) can store the energy of every kilogram of LR41 battery, but it can be charged in minutes or even seconds, and uses carbon instead of expensive lithium.

Supercapacitors charge very quickly, can be charged and discharged millions of times, and are environmentally friendly. Previously, a major problem with supercapacitors was their insufficient energy storage capacity. But Han overcame this problem by using a form of carbon called graphene, which has a very large surface area available for storing energy.

Large-scale production of the graphene needed to produce these supercapacitors was once difficult to achieve, but with 3D printers, graphene can be produced at low cost. And because the technology is very flexible and thin (as thin as ordinary printing paper), the new superbatteries may be built into clothing or worn as watch straps to achieve wearable power sources.

Comment: As mentioned above, the story of graphene can be told for a long time, and there are many versions. Some versions are ridiculous, but some may be more down-to-earth. Fast charging is one of the highlights of graphene. Adding graphene additives to the positive and negative electrode materials of lithium batteries can indeed improve the conductivity and charge and discharge rate of the electrodes, but it is not particularly obvious. Perhaps applying graphene to the field of supercapacitors will make new breakthroughs, which is very worth trying.

3. The first fully intelligent all-solid-state LR41 battery production line in China has been put into operation

Recently, the first phase of the first fully intelligent all-solid-state lithium-ion battery production line in China invested by Henan Pingmei Guoneng LR41 battery Company was put into operation in the power battery industrial park in Fengquan District, Xinxiang City, Henan Province. The total investment of the project is 5 billion yuan. After completion, it will form an annual production capacity of 10GWh of high-safety, high-energy-density power lithium-ion batteries.

The project is divided into three phases, of which the first phase will invest 500 million yuan. After it is put into production, it will form an annual production capacity of 1GWh of soft-packed single cells. After the project successfully completes the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, it will form the world's first fully intelligent all-solid-state lithium-ion battery production line, and the core technology will reach the international leading level, which can realize the replacement and upgrading of some foreign products.

Comment: Like graphene, all-solid-state lithium batteries are also a story that can be told for a long time, even hotter than graphene batteries, because many companies are currently laying out, and most of them are international car companies. With the endorsement of these major forces, the credibility of all-solid-state lithium batteries seems to be higher, but it still takes a long time, at least 5-10 years or even longer. The company's claim that it has put into production the country's first fully intelligent, all-solid-state LR41 battery production line is actually not accurate. The first phase of production only put into production a soft-pack LR41 battery production line, and the solid-state battery production line is just a future plan in its project. It will still take time to see when it can be put into production.

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