UQ expertise bolsters aluminium ion battery tech

The University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology is to work with Graphene Manufacturing Group in its quest to commercialise novel Graphene Aluminium-Ion Battery Technology.

The development, supported by the federal government’s Economic Accelerator Seed Grant, will accelerate under a partnership between AIBN material chemist Dr Xiaodan Huang (pictured, below) and GMG’s supporting in kind donation.

Dr Huang said: “UQ will supply the material engineering technology and GMG has the battery fabrication facility so together we can further develop the Graphene Aluminium-Ion Battery Technology.

“A key feature of this battery technology is the faster recharging rate and longer life.”

Dr Huang said GMG’s Graphene Aluminium-Ion battery technology could be scaled for use in mining equipment or grid storage.

“The increase in collaboration follows UQ patented processing technique for creating holes in graphene allowing improved ion storage capacity.”

With the global battery market expected to be worth more than $450 billion by 2030, the partnership aims to enable the technology to be brought to the market faster.

“With the demand for batteries increasing this locally developed technology has the potential to make a positive global impact.”

According to GMG, it has made initial G+AI Battery prototype pouch cells (main picture), which have a storage capacity of over 500 mAh, with a nominal voltage of ~ 2 volts.

“This is a significant development as it shows the company has matured the battery electro-chemistry and assembly techniques of producing pouch cells with over 10 layers of graphene coated cathode and aluminium foil anode.”

Browse @AuManufacturing’s coverage of Graphene Manufacturing Group here.

Picture: Graphene Manufacturing Group/University of Queensland