Army picks Ateios to boost safety of wearable lithium-ion batteries, and prevent them from causing fires
ADELPHI Md. – U.S. Army mobile power experts needed increased-capacity lithium-ion batteries using the Army's water-based aqueous electrolyte technology. They found their solution from Ateios Systems Inc. in Newberry, Ind.
Officials of the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Adelphi, Md., announced their intention last week to negotiate a two-year sole-source contract with Ateios to build three-amp-hour lithium-ion batteries in pouch cell and cylindrical cell formats.
Ateios experts will build these lithium-ion batteries using water-based electrolyte gels and electrodes cured with electron beam radiation and combined with an organic electrolyte.
Ateios will 20 pouch cells and 20 cylindrical cells in the 18650 form factor. The Army Contracting Command is negotiating the contract with Ateios on behalf of the Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Md.
The Army needs safe, stable, and long-lasting power for communications, navigation, and sensing applications. Today's state-of-the- art rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are limited in energy density to make the most of safety and transport, Army experts say.
Army Research Laboratory scientists have invented a water-based electrolyte system that remains stable inside the lithium-ion battery. These water- based “aqueous” electrolytes are expected to improve safety in lithium-ion batteries in the event of failure.
The aqueous electrolytes limit thermal runaway in the battery cell if the cell accidentally explodes to prevent it from causing catastrophic fires. Early versions of the aqueous lithium-ion battery survived destruction tests and continued to function after being subject to destruction testing.
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Ateios will use the Army-provided carbonate-based anode protection electrolyte system, which employs solvents and additives to ensure anode passivation.
The company will develop battery cells that use lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, and disordered rock salt lithium-excess titanium niobate cathode materials to determine which cathodes and paired anodes provide the highest energy density, best cycling performance, and greatest stability and safety during failure.
The Ateios batteries will go to the U.S. Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Md., for evaluation and testing. For more information contact Ateios Systems online at https://ateios.com, or the Army Research Laboratory-Adelphi at https://arl.devcom.army.mil/who-we-are/locations/alc/.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
