By Dr. Michelle Tokarz, Ph.D., VP of Partnerships and Innovation

The Coretec Group has proudly maintained its Silver membership status with NAATBatt (North American Alliance for Transportation Batteries) for the past year. NAATBatt not only organizes an annual conference, but also serves as a valuable trade group for networking and advancing battery innovations. 

In addition to our general membership, we actively participate in the Military Batteries Committee, which meets on a monthly basis. This committee focuses on exploring applications of electrochemical energy storage technology in military, space, and defense-related contexts. Discussions within the committee encompass technical requirements for batteries in these applications, as well as strategies for collaborating with government procurement agencies.  

I recently had the opportunity to present The Coretec Group’s Endurion project to the Military Batteries Committee to familiarize the audience with our unique approach to silicon-based anode materials. One of the key points made about the Endurion approach includes the use of an engineered “Artificial SEI”. There are others in the industry who have attempted artificial SEI’s, all of which have failed for one reason or another. Some of these include 1) a lack of ionic conductivity, 2) an SEI layer that reacts with the electrolyte instead of being passive, and 3) a lack of bonding or connection with the underlying graphite material.   

Endurion’s artificial SEI has good conductivity, is passive to electrolyte, and has good bonding characteristics to graphite particles. Most military batteries require high-charge capacity, and suitable cycle life. The special kind of functionalized silicon material that Endurion is using for it’s active anode material will solve both of these issues. We appreciated the opportunity to present our Endurion product to NAATBatt’s Military Batteries Committee. 

We view NAATBatt as an indispensable platform for exchanging ideas, discussing strategies, and fostering connections within the industry. We are committed to maintaining and strengthening these valuable relationships as we continue to progress.