Grafoid has signed a 3-year R&D agreement with Hydro-Quebec's Research Institute (IREQ) for the development of next generation rechargeable batteries using graphene with lithium iron phosphate materials. This is a 50-50 collaborative agreement that aims to create patentable inventions by combining graphene, supplied by Grafoid (from the Lac Knife graphite resource of Focus Metals), with Hydro-Quebec's patented lithium iron phosphate technologies.
Grafoid and the IREQ are targeting two specific markets - rechargeable automobile batteries and batteries for mobile electronic devices (such as smartphones and laptops).
IREQ will study Grafoid's graphene conductivity, electrochemical performance and its effects in electrode formulations, electrolyte and separator optimizations. They will also use their advanced electron microscopy and spectrographic technologies to do a detailed characterizations of Grafoid's graphene. Hydro-Quebec will also supply lithium iron phosphate materials and its electrochemistry know how (which it acquired under license from famed American inventor Dr. John Goodenough). Grafoid, in addition to providing graphene materials, brings knowledge acquired during its own development of functionalized graphene and its experience in proving graphene's economic scalability.