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Uniquely suited to deliver fluorine for the battery industry
Batteries are a critical enabling technology in the world’s transformation from dependence on fossil fuels. Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials (Koura) is developing materials, technologies and solutions that improve battery performance, cost and safety while ensuring secure and reliable battery supply chain.
About Koura Silatronix®
In November 2021, Koura acquired Silatronix® which now serves as a technical center of excellence within Koura’s battery materials group, with capabilities ranging from molecular synthesis, electrolyte formulation, to battery cell construction, testing, and postmortem analysis.
Products List
Advanced Fluorine Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries
Fluorine is a critical element in the battery supply chain and it is used in production of battery electrolytes, additives, binders and other materials. Koura is actively developing fluorine-containing materials for use in current and next generation Li-ion batteries. Koura’s unique integrated supply chain and process research and development capabilities allows us to efficiently develop and manufacture unique battery products
Electrolyte Solutions
Koura is actively developing new fluorinated additives and co-solvents that offer the possibility of enhanced safety and performance in Li-ion batteries. Fluorine additives and co-solvents enable increased energy per mass of battery whilst ensuring safety. The unique properties of fluorine-containing materials make them uniquely suited for use in high energy battery environments and provide stability in all modes of operation. Koura has developed a palette of fluorinated materials that includes a wide variety of functions, characteristics and physical properties.
OS3® enabling high performance through silicon chemistry
OS3® is the latest generation in performance enhancing organosilicon electrolyte materials available from Silatronix®. OS3® enables extreme performance of Li-ion batteries when added to LiPF6 based battery cells in concentrations of just 2-5%. OS3® provides dramatic performance enhancements while also delivering substantial safety and stability improvements. Silatronix® is currently delivering production volumes of OS3®. The material is ready for use in commercial Li-ion battery applications globally. OS3® material has been, or is currently in the process of, complete chemical registration in all major Li-ion battery manufacturing locations.
LiPF6
Lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) is a critical component of virtually all Li-Ion batteries produced today.
As the most used lithium salt, LIPF6 is a critical component of the global Li-Ion battery electrolyte supply chain.
With no current large-scale production of LiPF6 in North America today, Koura are moving forward constructing an initial production facility with the capability to produce up to 10,000MT of LiPF6 annually.
The new LiPF6 production will be constructed in St. Gabriel, LA on the grounds of Koura’s existing fluorochemical production site.
This project was the recipient of a $100 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the first set of projects funded by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and the electrical grid for materials currently imported from other countries.
Custom Electrolytes
Custom electrolytes are now available at bottle and keg scale. Offering a reliable, domestic source with a consistent 4-week lead-time, blended to customer specification, utilizing high-purity electrochemical grade material.
Koura Silatronix® offers a wide range of solvents, salt, and additives, readily available from stock in our Madison, WI production site.
Custom Electrolytes are currently being delivered to specialty Department of Defense, energy storage, industrial, medical or aerospace applications, and lab-scale customers.
Examples of readily available materials (non-stock material sourced as needed):
OS3®
ENABLING HIGH PERFORMANCE THROUGH SILICON CHEMISTRY
OS3® is a high-performance electrolyte additive material developed by Koura Silatronix®. Harnessing the power of Silicon-Fluorine chemistry, OS3® delivers multi-functional performance improvement in Li-Ion batteries.
OS3® improves bulk electrolyte stability at high-voltage and high-temperature by coordinating Li salts in electrolyte to reduce salt and solvent decomposition. This results in improved anode SEI performance, reducing impedance growth over time.
Moisture control in the battery manufacturing process is critical to ensure long-term cell performance. OS3® functionally scavenges HF in the bulk electrolyte, further preventing solvent and electrode decomposition and reducing gas generation.
At the cathode surface, OS3® forms a protective CEI layer, inhibiting both transition metal dissolution as well as oxygen evolution from the cathode. Both functions result in reduced CO2 generation and cell swelling.
In state-of-the-art Li-metal cell designs, OS3® has consistently shown improvement in both cycle life and retained capacity, further enabling the next generation of battery chemistry.
OS3® Solvent Benefits
Documented Performance Improvements
CELL SWELLING IMPROVEMENT – REDUCTION IN SWELLING: High voltage Li-ion pouch swelling dramatically reduced during 90ºC, 4 hour test.
IMPROVEMENT IN RETAINED CAPACITY: High voltage Li-ion pouch cells achieve significant improvements in retained and recovered capacity, 60ºC, 2 weeks.
IMPROVEMENTS IN CYCLE LIFE: High voltage Li-ion pouch cells achieve significant increases in cycle life both at room temperature (25ºC) and high temperature (45ºC) test conditions
OS3 STOPS ELECTROLYTE BREAKDOWN: It is well understood that in Li-ion batteries, LiPF6 can break down into LiF and PF5. When that occurs, PF5 starts the autocatalytic process of HF production. HF production inside a Li-ion battery leads to the shortening of life, reduction in performance, and decomposition of other materials inside of the cell. OS3® material helps to stop LiPF6 breakdown, preventing HF production inside the cell.
OS3 ELECTROLYTE STABILITY HIGHER PERFORMANCE WITH IMPROVED SAFETY: OS3® is thermally and electrochemically stable. The stability benefit translates to improved battery safety and stability when modest amounts of OS3® are added to Li-ion battery electrolytes as a co-solvent. By providing improved electrolyte stability, OS3® is enabling safer application of higher voltage and higher energy density Li-ion battery systems.
ORGANOSILICON IS COST EFFECTIVE: Cost effective materials are a must-have for Li-ion batteries. OS materials are a cost effective way to deliver higher energy density while reducing $/kWh cost.
ORGANOSILICON APPICATION EXPERTISE: Years of R&D testing both internally an in customer systems have allowed Koura Silatronix® Applications Engineering Team to become experts in applying OS solvents in Li-ion systems. Connect with our technical team to learn more about how we can support your system development today.
OS5™
Newly developed at Silatronix, OS5™ is the latest in high-performance organosilicon electrolyte materials designed to improve Li-Ion cell performance. Built on the same Silicon-Fluorine chemistry foundation as OS3, OS5™ is delivering improved performance in high-nickel cathode systems, providing reduced gassing, reduced impedance growth, and improved cycle life.
OS5™ is currently available in sample quantities.
Koflyte®
Leveraging Koura’s expertise in fluorine chemistry, Koflyte® is a new offering of fluorinated electrolyte additives and solvents.
Developed by Koura R&D, these materials utilize readily available feedstocks, allowing for cost-effective manufacturing at scale.
Koflyte® materials are available in the common electrolyte classes of carbonates, ethers, esters, and dioxolanes, utilizing the fundamental properties of fluorine to provide safe, low flammability electrolyte options.
Koflyte® materials are suitable for use in current Li-Ion systems as well as developmental technologies such as solid-electrolyte, Li-S, and Li-metal.
Material Properties for select Koflyte Solvent Materials
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Speak to a member of the team to discover more about our products, applications and their benefits.
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