Mar 25 2002
Altair International and Ntera announced to day that they have filed a joint patent on lithium titanate spinel materials for rechargeable lithium ion batteries. It was also announced that the two party’s would continue working together to develop the technology.
The patent is the culmination of a years research between Altair and Xoliox. Xoliox was acquired by Ntera late last year. Other organisations contributing to the development were Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne and J. Heyrovsky Institute.
The short term target for the technology is portable items such as mobile phones, laptop computers and cordless power tools as well as forklifts. In the longer term the technology is aimed at hybrid electric power for automobiles.
Recent findings by the company have identified an optimum size for particle size for the materials used in lithium ion batteries. In doing so, materials such as lithium titanate spinel will become a viable alternative to conventional electrode materials.
The battery technology that they are working on represents a great leap forward compared to current technology. The proposed batteries will offer “repeat charge and discharge rates far in excess of anything available today” commented William Long, President of Altair.