Vancouver, British Columbia – March 11, 2021
NEO Battery Materials Ltd. (TSXV: NBM) (“NEO” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide updates regarding the technology of the licensing agreement (the “Agreement”) made with the University-Industry Foundation of Yonsei University (“Yonsei University”). NEO’s innovative technology will enable ultra-fast charging and discharging, longer battery life-span, and mechanical robustness for lithium-ion batteries through proprietary silicon nano-coating.
Over the past decades, astonishing advances in portable electronics and hybrid/full electric vehicles have awakened the persistent demand for higher energy density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) to power them longer. Due to the limited specific capacity of traditional graphite anode materials (370 mAh/g), the attractive features of silicon as an anode material – a much higher theoretical specific capacity of 4200 mAh/g, a low discharge potential of around +0.5 V versus Li/Li+, and natural abundance – have made this chemical element as one of the most promising alternatives to fulfill this demand. However, a large volume expansion/shrinkage (∼400%) of silicon during repeated lithium insertion/extraction tremendously deteriorates its cycle performance by inducing fractures both inside of Si and between Si particles, and a conductive additive or current collector can result in the loss of electronic paths and the instability of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). These critical problems have hindered the commercial application of Si anodes in LIBs.
Several companies are attempting to solve this issue by adopting nanostructured Si–Carbon composites in various shapes of nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, and their hollow or porous derivative forms to minimize the induced strain and pulverization of Si. For instance, battery manufacturing companies are now employing silicon-derivatives such as silicon suboxide (SiOx) or silicon nitride (SiNx) with much smaller specific capacities to resolve this issue. However, the main drawbacks of these solutions have been rising production costs and a low-tap density.
Dr. Jong-Hyeok Park, Director and Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board, said, “NEO Battery Materials’s nano-coating technology is able to overcome the conventional hurdles of pure silicon anode materials. Based on an all-solution process at ambient conditions with cheap elastomer ultra-thin coating layers that retain electronic and ionic conductivity, our solution processable coating technology can generate a ~2nm-thick elastomer coating layer on Si nanomaterials, minimizing the processing cost while increasing the Li-ion movement around Si anode for better battery performance.”
Dr. Park has also added, “NEO’s silicon has a specific capacity between 2000 mAh/g and 3000 mAh/g, depending on the types of coating layer materials. In addition, a mechanically robust and elastic, nanometer-thick coating layer on silicon nanomaterials represented a highly stable long-term cycling ability due to the uniform and reversible volume expansion with stable SEI (solid electrolyte interphase) layer. More importantly, the strong adhesive nature that originates from the nano-coating layer surrounding silicon nanomaterials is confirmed to withstand large mechanical compressive and/or tensile stresses during rigorous bending tests (more than 30,000 times of bending). This means that our new strategy will help us move forward to the realization of advanced LIBs with higher power and energy density as well as practical futuristic flexible LIBs.
About NEO Battery Materials Ltd.
NEO Battery Materials Ltd. is a Vancouver-based junior resource company focused on battery metals exploration in North America. The Company has staked new mining claims in Golden, BC, along a strike with a quartzite bed, targeting silica in the quartzites for a total of 467 hectares. The Company focuses on exploring and producing silicon, which, when added to anode materials in the production of lithium-ion batteries, provides improvements in capacity and efficiency over lithium-ion batteries using graphite in their anode materials. The Company intends to become an integrated silicon producer and anode materials supplier to the electric vehicle industry. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at: https://neobatterymaterials.com/.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Spencer Huh
President and CEO
604-697-2408
sbhuh1450@gmail.com
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This presentation contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of the applicable securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Generally, such forward-looking information can be identified notably by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: (i) volatile stock prices; (ii) the general global markets and economic conditions; (iii) the possibility of write-downs and impairments; (iv) the risk associated with exploration, development and operations of minerals; (v) the risk associated with establishing title to mineral properties and assets; (vi) the risks associated with entering into joint ventures; (vii) fluctuations in mineral prices; (viii) the risks associated with uninsurable risks arising during the course of exploration, development and production; (ix) competition faced by the resulting issuer in securing experienced personnel and financing; (x) access to adequate infrastructure to support mining, processing, development and exploration activities; (xi) the risks associated with changes in the mining regulatory regime governing the Company; (xii) the risks associated with the various environmental regulations the Company is subject to; (xiii) risks related to regulatory and permitting delays; (xiv) the reliance on key personnel; (xv) liquidity risks; (xvi) the risk of litigation; and (xvii) risk management.
Forward-looking information is based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made, including but not limited to, continued exploration activities, no material adverse change in mineral prices, exploration and development plans to proceed in accordance with plans and such plans to achieve their stated expected outcomes, receipt of required regulatory approvals, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information has been provided for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company’s business, operations and exploration plans and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is made as of the date of this presentation, and the Company does not undertake to update such forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
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