What is 8inks – The Multilayer Battery Company?
8inks is setting a new standard for battery manufacturing by tackling a problem many overlook: the disconnect between chemistry, cell design, and manufacturing. Usually, manufacturing is pushed to the end of the development cycle, separate from the other two crucial elements. But as the world electrifies everything, demands for better batteries are skyrocketing—from gigawatt-hours (GWh) to terawatt-hours (TWh) scale. To meet these massive demands, all three domains need to come together right from the start. Manufacturing isn’t just a step in the process; it’s the key to unlocking the full potential of battery technologies.
Main Benefits of 8inks’ Approach
8inks brings a fresh electrode coating solution that enables next-generation cell designs and materials at scale. Here’s what makes them stand out:
- Manufacturing: Boost throughput and slash costs, scaling up to the tera-level with coating speeds 10 times faster than before.
- Cell Design: Unlock new performance levels using multilayer architectures with a wide range of thicknesses—including ultra-thin layers.
- Chemistry: Flexible materials tailored to your specific application needs, making 8inks a true platform partner.
Pioneering Multilayer Curtain Coating for Energy Storage
8inks is reimagining electrode manufacturing by introducing multilayer curtain coating technology. This innovation leaves behind the limits of current production methods, enabling battery makers to implement layered architectures in a single coating line. The result? Optimized performance and cost, all while staying compatible with existing infrastructure. It’s a game-changer for the battery industry.
Boosting Cell Performance with 8inks
When it comes to battery performance, 8inks delivers on multiple fronts:
- Energy Density: High loadings, thick electrodes, and optimized interfaces for lithium metal batteries.
- Safety: Use of non-flammable solid-state electrolytes (SSE) and blocking layers to prevent dendrite growth.
- Cycle Life: Improved adhesion and novel electrode architectures that last longer.
- Power Density: Thin electrodes combined with optimized micro-structures for better power output.
- Sustainability: Non-toxic solvents and reduced energy consumption during drying make the process greener.
Ramping Up Production and Cutting Costs
Scaling battery production is no small feat, but 8inks makes it easier and more cost-effective. Their multilayer curtain coating technology enables:
- 30% lower capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) at production scale.
- More than 4 times increase in production output.
- Reduced energy consumption during manufacturing.
- Applications across silicon anodes, LFP cathodes, solid electrolytes, and custom designs.
By simplifying battery production and unlocking next-gen designs and materials, 8inks offers a platform that balances performance and cost without disrupting existing setups.
Impact on Sustainability and Global Goals
- Affordable and Clean Energy: Lithium-ion batteries operate with zero emissions and excellent well-to-wheel efficiency.
- Responsible Consumption and Production: 8inks envisions recyclable cell designs made from abundant resources, promoting large-scale sustainability.
- Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Shaping new industry standards and processes for next-gen battery technology.
- Climate Action: Accelerating the transition to electric vehicles by rethinking lithium-ion battery manufacturing.
About the Company and Team
Born from years of research at ETH Zurich, 8inks brings Swiss process innovation to the global energy solutions market. Their mission? To accelerate a sustainable future by enabling batteries to reach their full potential at scale. The team is led by Dr. Paul Baade and Leon Baade as CEOs, with experts like Dr. Christina Sauter (CTO), Dr. Karl-Philipp Schlichting (COO), and a skilled group of engineers and scientists driving innovation every day.
