Leclanché releases battery cell with niobium-based anode material

Swiss energy solutions company Leclanché has released XN50, the world’s first commercial Li-ion cell with a niobium-based active anode material, the company said in a statement. Supplied by the UK’s Echion Technologies, the XNO trade-marked material enables 50% higher energy density than LTO technologies (lithium-titanate or lithium-titanium-oxide), fast charging, and safety and performance in extreme conditions.

“The XNO materials are based on proprietary mixed niobium oxide compositions and microparticle designs protected by multiple international patent families,” Echion explains on its website. “The unique crystal structures of our materials have been engineered to enable the intercalation of lithium ions with exceptionally fast diffusion coefficients, safe electrochemical potential above SEI formation, and minimal volume expansion.”

According to Leclanché’s statement, it will replace all of its LTO offerings with XNO and will release a new set of battery modules and pack solutions that use it.

The company claims that the new commercial cells have a lifetime of 10,000 cycles when used in heavy-duty applications. Studies show less than 3% capacity loss and less than 15% resistance growth after 1,000 2C/2C charge/discharge cycles at 45 C.

The new XN50 cell was developed via a joint development agreement between Leclanché and Echion Technologies.

“I look forward to seeing XN50 in the field at scale, which will enable end-users to benefit from a battery specifically engineered for industrial and mass transportation applications, significantly enhancing their operations while reducing emissions,” said Jean de La Verpilliere, CEO of Echion.