Charging towards a graphene-powered future
Global demand
As global demand for clean energy and electrification – especially in electric vehicles (EVs) – continues to increase, the demand for battery-based technologies integral to these industries has surged.
Currently traditional lithium-ion batteries dominate the energy-storage market. However, lithium-ion batteries have drawbacks. These include high manufacturing costs, limited lifespan, safety concerns and environmental impact.
Today, the biggest challenge has been advancing battery technology to meet this demand; alternatives to the lithium-ion battery.
Could graphene-batteries be the answer?
Graphene innovation
Over the past 20 years, graphene innovative applications have accelerated across various industries, from portable electronics to energy storage and harvesting.
Graphene has proven to have remarkable characteristics and properties. It has a single layer carbon atom arrangement – arranged in a hexagonal lattice – making it the world’s thinnest material. But at the same time it is exceptionally strong; much stronger than materials such as steel and diamond.
Its lightweight and durable qualities have already made it useful in the automotive and aviation sector, lowering fuel consumption and carbon emissions. In addition, graphene’s exceptional electrical conductivity enables faster charging and improved thermal safety, and it can be integrated into traditional lithium-ion batteries to significantly enhance performance.
Whilst other sustainable batteries, such as those that are sodium-based, offer a cheaper and greener alternative they have known drawbacks such as a low energy density. This translates to a lower energy storage and a shorter lifespan, so they are unlikely to be commercially viable for use in EVs which require both values.
Therefore graphene’s versatility makes it a game-changer in renewable energy and energy storage applications, and a worthy candidate to challenge its lithium counterpart.
Patenting graphene-based inventions
The release of the European Patent Office (EPO) Patent Index for 2024 set out the key figures and trends of patent activity. Notable statistics have shown an increase of filings by 64.8% over the past decade in the electrical machinery, apparatus and energy sector. This includes battery technologies, making this sector the fastest growing of all 35 technology fields at the EPO since 2015.
Since the European climate change law in 2021, which set a goal of climate neutrality in the EU by 2050, there has also been an increase in sustainable renewable energy and electric mobility. The EPO Patent Index noted that battery technologies are a key area for the energy transition, a shift towards cleaner and renewable energy, accelerating growth by 24% patent filings in 2024 compared to the previous year.
The EPO statistics mirrored industrial treads published in the Annual Battery Report from the Volta Foundation. The report revealed global EV sales including battery powered models were boosted by 25% in 2024. As well as the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), devices that store electricity – like the National Grid – are gaining momentum in battery deployment.
Currently, the market for battery technology applications is dominated by Asia, with LG, Samsung and Toyota Motor amongst the top 10 European patent applicants who filed in 2024.
Commercialisation
The graphene battery sector is rapidly advancing, accelerated by investment from governments, research institutes and private companies.
A considerable £61 million investment was made in 2015 by the UK Government and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to support research at the National Graphene Institute. This funding has enabled key collaborations between industrial partners and leading academic experts at The University of Manchester to develop and launch new technologies, products and processes that exploit the remarkable properties of graphene.
Other initiatives such as the EU Graphene Flagship has led to the product launch of ‘Ipower Batteries’ a graphene-based lead acid battery. In this respect, the market has been driven by the demand for greener and more efficient EV solutions.
Although the research and development of graphene batteries is thriving, it doesn’t come without challenges. As the demand for graphene material rises, the biggest bottleneck will be achieving industrial-scale production. Recently, a collaboration between Swansea University and a group of Chinese universities published an article in Nature Chemical Engineering disclosing their protocol for the commercial scale-up of graphene foil for use in heat safety in lithium-ion batteries. This is a step forward for the upscaling of graphene production on a commercial level.
Furthermore, U.S. NanoTech Energy, a leader in graphene-based energy storage solutions has partnered with Geuyang who specialise in high-nickel 97% cathode material technology. The collaboration between the two companies is to jointly combine their respective battery technologies and achieve mass production. This will allow their businesses to expand into EVs, portable electronics and energy storage systems. It will also be a significant step towards accelerating innovation in battery safety and performance by utilising graphene.
Future developments
Overall, the integration of graphene into batteries is rapidly advancing. Unlocking the full potential of graphene is a key driver for battery innovation and offers benefits in manufacturing, storage and use.
A key focus in battery R&D over the last few years has been the development of solid-state batteries, whereby overcoming scale up manufacturing processes, costs and addressing compatibility issues with current battery technologies and infrastructure is a priority.
In this respect graphene batteries could be pivotal for shaping the future EV battery and energy storage market, and lead to exciting new outcomes and technological breakthroughs.
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