Battery tech firms South 8 Technologies and NanoGraf are collaborating to develop higher-capacity, safer and lighter batteries for the US Army. Under a $6.4-million subcontract with NanoGraf, South 8 will develop a high-rate injection system for its LiGas electrolyte to bolster domestic production of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries.
Today’s soldiers lug around massive amounts of Li-ion batteries—sometimes more than 20 pounds worth—to power all their high-tech gadgets. The risk of poor performance due to extreme weather or physical damage forces them to schlep multiple batteries as backups. South 8 and NanoGraf aim to alleviate these issues by producing a more reliable and lighter battery.
