Dragonfly Energy (Dragonfly) reports that it has now acquired a “Notice of Allowance” for its portfolio for solid-state battery manufacturing in the United States. This is not quite a formal patent grant, but it means it will be forthcoming once formalities and fees are paid.

According to the company, this also comes after several international patents were also accepted around the world. This is good news for Dragonfly, but it is important to note that these patents revolve around the manufacture of said technology rather than revolutionary new battery chemistry.

That said, solid-state lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, like those developed by Dragonfly, are potentially a huge deal. Currently, most lithium-ion batteries contain electrodes and a liquid electrolyte between them.

The electrolyte is typically a highly flammable organic liquid that lets lithium ions move back and forth during charging and discharging. Solid-state batteries replace that liquid with a solid electrolyte, making them much safer and longer lasting.

Close but no cigar; yet

They also have potentially much higher energy density, can charge faster, and should have longer lifetimes. However, it turns out, they are very difficult, and therefore expensive, to make.

The key to Dragonfly’s pending patent is its use of dry powders as part of this process instead of wet slurries (which are more standard). In the latter process, a sort of pancake mix of materials is made and spread onto metal foil.

This then needs to be dried, which is a very expensive undertaking. Dragonfly, on the other hand, uses already dried powders that are compressed, laminated, and bonded, eliminating the need for costly drying.

As for the powders in question, solid-state batteries typically use ceramic powders of sulfides, oxides, and phosphates. These tend to react badly in liquid environments, so pressing them together is the best (and safest) option anyway.

Similar technologies have been developed for other batteries, but importantly, those have been under lab conditions only. Dragonfly’s solution, however, potentially means it can scale to produce millions of units cheaply, quickly, and with high yields.

Another key breakthrough is what the company calls “dry electrodes.” Dry electrode manufacturing promises fewer production steps, lower energy consumption, and no toxic solvents.

Dragonfly close to US patent

If achieved, it could also result in smaller factories and lower manufacturing costs, and, of course, faster production. In other words, something of a “Holy Grail.” Other companies, like Tesla, have been trying the same thing for years, but it has proven trickier than expected.

Dragonfly, however, may well have cracked it. The company also claims its new manufacturing process is “chemistry agnostic.” This means that it could be applied to several battery chemistries, including lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium metal, and sodium-ion (possibly).

“This U.S. patent allowance milestone is an important step in protecting the materials and processes we believe are central to the future of solid-state battery manufacturing,” Dr. Denis Phares, Chief Executive Officer of Dragonfly Energy, said in its press release.

“Our team continues to advance technologies designed to simplify production, support scalability, and move us closer to the commercialization of all-solid-state battery cells,” he added.

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