From the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Press Office
WASHINGTON, DC: The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has signed a commercial licensing agreement with Enzinc to commercialize the 3D zinc sponge anode technology in a nickel-zinc battery for certain applications. The license gives Enzinc the exclusive rights to all electric road vehicles (from two wheel to multiwheel), hybrid vehicles, start-stop vehicles, and microgrids/distributed grids up to 60MW.
This technology was revealed in the peer-reviewed Science magazine article dated 28 April 2017. “There is significant interest in our plans to commercialize this technology for two such important areas of the renewable marketplace: electric vehicles and microgrids,” said Michael Burz, CEO and founder of Enzinc. “We look forward to continuing our association with the USNRL, one of the nation’s preeminent research laboratories.”
The 3D Zinc sponge anode technology is the first to enable common, safe and low-cost zinc to be used in a high-performance rechargeable battery. Zinc-based batteries will be as powerful as lithium–based batteries with none of the potential for fire, and will be lighter and less toxic than lead-based batteries. Past attempts to make rechargeable zinc batteries have involved pumped zinc slurries, substantially limiting applications and adding complexity and maintenance issues.