6K Energy will use Atomic Layer Deposition equipment from Forge Nano to produce high-performance, low-cost NMC cathodes in the United States.
DENVER—Forge Nano, Inc., and 6K Energy recently signed an agreement to implement the commercial-scale production of 6K Energy’s American-made battery materials with Forge Nano’s proprietary Atomic Armor™ surface technology platform, 6K Energy said in a release.
6K Energy is the developer of a proprietary advanced microwave plasma production system, UniMelt®, for engineered materials. Forge Nano is a materials science company that specializes in precision nano-coating technology. Its Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology for powders, Atomic Armor, is being used in lithium-ion batteries to improve product performance and reduce process costs for battery materials.
The collaboration between the two companies is intended to support “a robust and protected supply chain for next-generation, domestically sourced batteries.” It is also expected to help provide the United States with the advantage it needs to compete with the global market, 6K Energy said in the release.
“This strategic partnership between Forge Nano and 6K Energy is an important step in our commitment to strengthening the domestic battery materials supply chain with new technologies that are more precise, more efficient, and better for the environment,” said Forge Nano CTO James Trevey, in the release. “With Atomic Armor, we are building industry-leading batteries that outpace existing batteries on the global market in terms of performance, lifetime, and safety. This alliance is exactly what the U.S. needs to be competitive in the global Li-ion battery market.”
The release describes Atomic Armor as “the application of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) coatings, done with the speed, precision, and know-how that will unlock a product’s performance and scale at a lower cost than incumbent technology.” The technology is said to improve existing battery materials, resulting in higher capacity and safety, while making batteries charge faster and last longer, at a lower cost. The combination of Forge Nano’s Atomic Armor with 6K’s UniMelt materials production process is expected to bring high performance and low cost materials to the market, 6K said in the release.
“As we develop our domestic battery material production capabilities, starting with our Jackson, Tennessee, PlusCAM plant, we are teaming with the best-in-class partners throughout the process,” said 6K Energy Senior Vice President of Battery Products Richard Holman, Ph.D., in the release. “Leveraging Forge Nano’s Atomic Armor platform provides us with a coating technology that meets the stringent specifications of our lithium-ion battery materials.”