Battery manufacturer Amprius Technologies has delivered the first of its new 450 Wh/kg, 1150 Wh/L high energy density lithium-ion cells. Compared with commonly available 300 Wh/kg batteries, the new cells represent a further improvement on the 405 Wh/kg devices unveiled in November 2021.

The keys to the improved technology are the silicon-based anodes and the vertically oriented nanowires used by Amprius. The graphite lattice commonly used in anodes is replaced with silicon nanowires, which can store 10 times more lithium than graphite. Swelling and cracking are eliminated by interspersing shorter with longerCross-sectional illustration of the silicon nanowire anode. Source: Amprius Technologies porous nanowires, which are connected directly to the substrate with no binders, thereby extending the service of the power cell.

The first shipment of the new batteries was delivered to a designer of high-altitude pseudo satellites. According to Amprius, the increased performance associated with the high energy density cells will support aerospace products with higher power needs, including new eVTOL aircraft.

In December 2021, Amprius introduced a 370 Wh/kg version of the silicon nanowire-equipped cells, which can be recharged from 0% to 80% state-of-charge in just about six minutes.