10 stories tagged battery-materials on EV Digest.
China's substantial control over critical minerals essential for electric vehicle battery production, including lithium, cobalt, and rare earths, could significantly impact global inflation. This concentrated supply chain creates vulnerabilities that could drive up costs through geopolitical tensions or disruptions. As the world shifts towards electrification, the pricing and availability of these materials are increasingly critical.
The Critical Materials Crossroads Engine, spearheaded by the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), has been awarded up to $160 million by the US National Science Foundation. This significant funding aims to establish a regional ecosystem in the U.S. for producing essential metals and advanced materials crucial for electric vehicle batteries, semiconductors, and other high-tech applications. The initiative seeks to reduce the nation's reliance on imported critical minerals for EV manufacturing.
Researchers are developing a proactive 'cradle-to-crisis' strategy to enhance electric vehicle battery safety and performance. This innovative approach focuses on predicting and managing thermal runaway events by studying battery materials from their inception through potential failure, aiming for more robust and reliable power sources for EVs.
Rare earth minerals, crucial for EV motors and other high-tech applications, extracted from a U.S. mine are currently being shipped to Asia for processing. This situation highlights the ongoing challenges in establishing a fully domestic supply chain for these critical materials, despite efforts to reduce reliance on foreign processing capabilities.
Momentum Technologies has chosen Aquatech's PEARL process to enhance domestic U.S. production of critical battery materials and rare earth elements. This collaboration combines Momentum's Membrane Solvent Extraction (MSX) technology with Aquatech’s refining platform, which is capable of processing over 100,000 tons of lithium annually. The partnership aims to streamline the refining of crucial components for EV batteries within the United States.
A new update from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) highlights the severe risks of deep-sea mining to unique mollusk species living near hydrothermal vents. Over half of these specialized creatures, which have adapted to extreme seafloor environments, could face extinction if mineral extraction proceeds. This warning underscores the ecological consequences of pursuing new sources for materials, some of which are critical for EV batteries.
New Zealand-based CarbonScape has teamed up with battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) to industrialize its bio-sourced graphite, which is derived from forestry by-products. This collaboration aims to provide a more sustainable and domestically scalable source for a critical EV battery material, reducing reliance on conventional oil-based graphite.
A historic tungsten mine in South Korea is being revitalized, promising to provide a significant non-Chinese source of this critical mineral. Tungsten is essential for various high-tech industries, including EV battery manufacturing and advanced electronics. This initiative seeks to reduce reliance on China and secure a more stable supply chain for the United States and its allies.
The increasing demand for electric vehicles is driving a significant material science shift in automotive manufacturing. Major players like Tesla, BMW, and Ferrari are adopting aluminum in place of heavier, more expensive copper for electrical wiring, reducing both vehicle weight and production costs. This strategic change is crucial for improving EV range and affordability, especially as the industry scales up.
CleanTechnica's weekly roundup highlights the surprisingly popular topic of a 'reflecting pool' story alongside a more conventional yet crucial EV industry topic: graphite. The latter underscores ongoing developments in the raw materials essential for electric vehicle batteries.
