PRIONE

Technology

Materials

Technology

TMI-Zero Method

(Transition Metal Impurities)
PLP

(Plasma in Liquid Process)

TMI-Zero Method

(Transition Metal Impurities)

- The world’s first
  Non-purification process
- The world’s first
  First zero ppm of catalyst impurity
- Low Temperature Process
  (under 600°C)
- Low-Cost
  Eco-Friendly Process

The world’s first

Non-purification process

Transition metal catalysts such as Fe, Co, Ni and Mo
are not used in the Prione Process
No more intellectual property right necessary
for the catalyst purification
A high temperature reactor using halogen gas
is not required for catalyst purification
for non-purification process
Environmental cost is not incurred as high
concentration of acid treatment is not required.
No chemical and structural damage in the synthesized CNT as no purification is performed.

The world’s first

Zero ppm of catalyst impurity

Contents of impurity from the catalyst is 0 ppm
as the transition metal catalyst
The special catalyst of the Prione can be
removed to 0 ppm during the process
When used as a conductive material for a battery,
the Prione special catalyst greatly contributes
to the improvement of battery performance

Under 600°C

Low Temperature Process

The advantage of the low temperature process is
the low cost as it consumes low power
It is possible to produce uniform quality as the temperature
gradient difference of the reaction zone is not large.
When doping hetero atom such as nitrogen,
the low temperature process would make it possible to prepare
a high functional CNT by increasing the doping amount
larger than the high temperature process.

Low-Cost Eco-Friendly Process

The Prione catalyst is very affordable with a precursor price of 1/20
(based on Sigma Aldrich) compared to Ferrocene, a general CNT catalyst.
There is no need for additional expensive chemicals
such as Thiophene used in the existing CNT process, and only
the Prione catalysts and carbon precursors are required.
Also, very low-cost carbon precursors are used to significantly
reduce overall production costs while consuming less production
power as the reaction temperature is also much lower than general
CNT synthesis temperature.
No purification cost is incurred as the purification process is left out,
and thus environmental cost is not incurred as well.

PLP

Plasma in Liquid Process

Plasma Generated
in the Solution
Simple Device Configuration

Synthesis of Nano-materials through Decomposition and Recombination of Solutions, Electrode Materials
Platform Process

Plasma Generated in the Solution

Plasma generation in the solution at room temperature and atmospheric pressure

Simple Device Configuration

Only constituted with power supply, electrode, solution and reactor

Synthesis of Nano-materials through Decomposition
and Recombination of Solutions, Electrode Materials

Synthesis of various nano-materials through decomposition
and recombination of electrode wires required to
generate all solvents, solutes and plasms

ex. Synthesis of platinum nanoparticles by reducing platinum ions dissolved in the solution into the hydrogen radicals generated in plasma
ex. Synthesis of carbon nano-materials through decomposition and recombination of organic solvents
ex. Easy synthesis of metal nanoparticles by sputtering of electrode wires

Platform Process

Platform process that can synthesize various materials with one PLP process

Synthesis of
Carbon
Nano-materials

Carbon black, Heteroatom-doped carbon black

Carbon Nanosheet, Heteroatom-doped carbon nanosheet

Synthesis of
Metal
Nano-materials

Synthesis of metal nanoparticles and metal nano-ink by plasma reduction of all metals that may exist as ions in the solution

Synthesis of metal nanoparticles and metal nano-ink by sputtering of all metals that can be formed of electrode wires

Synthesis of
Carbon-metal
Nanocomposites

Synthesis of carbon materials in which metal nanoparticles are supported or encapsulated

Surface treatment of
carbon materials

Dispersed treatment using Functional group formula on the surface of carbon material such as CNT

Materials

Functionality Carbon black
- Hetero atom-CB
  
  Phosphorus
  
  Sulfur
  
  Nitrogen
- Metal-CB
  
  Platinum
  
  Tin
- Silicon-CB
Carbon Nano Tube
- CNT
  
  T-CNT
  
  A-CNT
- CNT-CB
  
  CB-CNT
  
  CB-CNF
Nano Silicon
- Silicon

Functionality Carbon black

Hetero atom-CB

TEM image of the
synthesized material

Spherical particles are ring-shaped

Forms a channel through which sodium ions can be transported
EDS mapping of the
synthesized material

Even distribution of C, S and N elements in the carbon matrix

Superior

Capacity Retention

Power characteristics

Achieve a reversible capacity of 110mAh/g at 100A

Suitable for high power devices

High initial

Coulombic Efficiency

First cycle Coulomb efficiency

Commercialization condition in LiB: 80% or higher

Generally reported level in SiB: 40-50%

SiB world’s best level: 60~70%

Ultrahigh

Cycling Performance

Lifespan characteristics

5,000 cycles at 100 A/g

Achieved a lifespan of more than 5,000 cycles at ultra-high current

Features of
sodium ion batteries

Operate with the same chemistry as the lithium-ion battery

Possible to use the existing production line as it is

Aluminum foil, not copper foil, can also be used for anodes, making the unit price cheaper

Lithium ion battery
Sodium ion battery

Seawater battery

When charging, sodium ions of seawater are extracted and stored as an anode, and when discharging, water is used as an anode to react to generate electricity

Seawater battery
FULL CELL TEST

Shows lifespan feature of 1500 cycles as well as a high capacity
of 150mAh/g even at ultra-high currents of 10A/g

Checked the possibility of using seawater batteries

It can be used to develop other energy materials such as fuel cells and potassium ion cells just by replacing solvents and solutes using the developed process technology.

Functionality Carbon black

Metal-CB

TEM image of the
synthesized material
EDS mapping of the
synthesized material

Functionality Carbon black

Silicon-CB

TEM image of the
synthesized material
EDS mapping of the
synthesized material

Lithium secondary battery
The ratio of silicon included
in the active material: about 3~5%
Carbon-silicon material:
conductive material (+active material)

General ratio
Active material : Conductive material : Binder = 80 : 10 : 10

It acts as a basic conductive material and increases capacity even with the existing ratio

Special ratio
Active material : Conductive material : Binder = ex) (60~80) : (10~30) : 10

Basic conductive material role + Active material role is possible, so stable cycling performance
and increase in reversible capacity based on the change in contents of conductive material

Best

Capacity Retention

Reversible capacity
(applied anode material)

First cycle Coulomb efficiency: 55% or more

1C (372 mAh/g) standard: 600 mAh/g

Best

Capacity Retention

Reversible capacity
(applied conductive material)

First cycle Coulomb efficiency: 70% or more

1C (372 mAh/g) standard: 360 mAh/g

Carbon Nano Tube

CNT

- Diameter
  
  20~40nm
- Length
  
  5~10um
- Purity
  
  >99wt%
- Specific surface area
  
  >40m²/g
- I.C.E (initial coulombic efficiency)
  
  87.2%

Carbon
nano tube
Good dispersion of silicon and C is shown at EDS mapping

Maximizes efficiency when applying the composite as a conductive material

It is a new material that is currently in the spotlight in various industries
with excellent mechanical characteristics, electrical selectivity, field emission characteristics, and high efficiency hydrogen storage medium characteristics

Manufacturing technology of low-cost carbon
nano tubes (CNT) using alkali metals

Existing CNT manufacturing technology

01 Organometallic compounds such as Fe, Ni, Co, etc. are used as catalyst metals

It costs a lot because of their limited reserves
( $14.000/ton for Ni)

02 Need a process to treat acid with an aqueous acid solution such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid

Work stability problems, pollutant treatment problems and high cost problems are incurred
Developed CNT manufacturing technology

01 Alkali metals that dissolve in water (Na, K, etc) are used as catalyst metals

Price is affordable and it can be extracted infinitely from seawater
($150/ton based on Na)

02 Cost Down for the unnecessary process such as acid treatment process

“Highly Value Added” CNT can be synthesized

Targeted technology
(Technical Feature)
An aqueous sodium chloride solution in the solution is applied to form nanoparticles and sprayed into a high-temperature heat treatment reactor to grow into a continuous MWCNT Stable for explosion and fire because there is no transition metal

Innovative processes that overcome the high-cost manufacturing process of removing and disposing expensive reducing agents and supporter, which is the key drawback of the current fluidized bed reaction method, currently a major mass production method. Excellent performance with low damage to the product

Amount of active material ↑, battery capacity ↑

5 times energy density compared to carbon black, conductivity 10% or more

Reduced battery charging time

Nano Silicon

Silicon

TEM image of the
synthesized material
EDS mapping of the
synthesized material

High Performance: High purity and small particle size

General Nano Si Powder: An average particle diameter of 50 ~ 100 nm

Prione Nano Si Powder: An average particle diameter of 20 nm or less