Oxis raises funds for production of lithium-sulfur battery cells

Oxis Energy has raised a total of about $30 million from Safran, Aerotec Brazil, Arkema, and Samsung Ventures for its lithium-sulfur battery cell technology. The Oxford, England-based company, which was founded in 2004, says it will use the funds to commercialize and produce battery cells at a pilot manufacturing plant in Brazil. Oxis produces its own components, including the Li-S cathode, ceramic Li-S passivation layer, and nonflammable electrolyte. The combination results in a battery with a much higher energy density than traditional Li-ion batteries, Oxis says, and the ability to withstand extreme abuse, including punctures from nails or bullets. Oxis is now aiming to double the cells’ cycle life to 500 cycles by limiting lithium anode degradation. Potential markets for the cells include aviation, defense, and heavy electric vehicles such as aircraft, buses, and trucks. Partnerships with the investors will help Oxis improve “the energy-density characteristics, reliability, safety, and longevity of the cell and battery systems technology,” CEO Huw Hampson Jones says.