General Motors Ventures has announced a $10 million investment in materials science company Forge Nano. Forge Nano specializes in atomic layer deposition and will work with GM to explore potential applications of this technology for batteries.
Coating Technology to Reduce Battery Costs
Atomic Layer Deposition, marketed by Forge Nano as ‘Atomic Armor’, is a surface technology that deposits extremely thin layers on battery materials to control their chemical properties and structure at the atomic level. Under the partnership, Forge Nano will develop coatings for GM that are intended to both improve battery performance and reduce costs. In particular, the collaboration will focus on coatings for cathode materials. Prototypes of lithium-ion battery cells will be built at Forge Nano’s headquarters in Thornton, Colorado, to demonstrate the potential of the technology.
