Volt Carbon obtains second U.S. patent

Executive Summary

• Volt Carbon Technologies confirmed the issuance of its second US patent (No. 12491538) for its "Method and System for Aerodynamic Air Classification" technology, strengthening its intellectual property portfolio for dry-separation graphite purification.
• The company reported significant technical advancements in its lithium-metal battery development, achieving 1,600 cycles at a 0.75C discharge rate with projected energy densities of 340 Wh/kg (with 400 Wh/kg designs in parallel testing).
• New low-temperature evaluations demonstrated superior performance compared to conventional lithium-ion chemistries, with stable operation down to -70°C and successful benchmarking against commercial 21700 cells in extreme cold.

Key Details

• Patent Issuance:
  • USPTO Patent No. 12491538 issued on Dec. 9, 2025.
  • Title: "Method and System for Aerodynamic Air Classification."
  • Supports the company's dry-separation graphite purification technology.
  • A new demonstration video of the air classifier operating in real-time was released.
• Lithium-Metal Battery Cycle Life & Power:
  • Achieved 1,600 cycles at a 0.75C discharge rate, demonstrating stable behavior over long durations.
  • Cathode loading in single-layer pouch cells projected to support a 340 Wh/kg lithium-metal configuration.
  • Parallel testing is underway to advance a 400 Wh/kg design.
  • Cells tested at a 10C discharge rate using a low-temperature electrolyte formulation showed strong capacity retention under high power demand.
• Low-Temperature Performance:
  • Completed cold-temperature evaluations on lithium-metal coin cells at the Guelph facility.
  • Demonstrated clear gains at -40°C, -60°C, and -70°C compared to data from Sept. 16, 2024.
  • Continued operation in temperature ranges where most lithium-ion architectures cease to function.
  • Benchmark Test: Solid UltraBattery pouch cell maintained usable performance at -20°C and -40°C, whereas a commercial 21700 lithium-ion cell showed rapid decline at -20°C and complete failure at -40°C.
  • Target applications identified include aerospace, UAV systems, northern-climate EV platforms, and defense.
• Expandable Graphite Testing:
  • Released a video demonstrating dry-separated expandable graphite behavior under simulated battery thermal runaway conditions.
  • Highlights expansion characteristics for potential use in thermal management, fire protection, and advanced carbon products.

Notable Quotes

• "Demonstrating strong retention at a 10C discharge rate is important for aerospace and UAV applications that require rapid power delivery. These performance levels are generally not seen together in lithium-metal systems, making the results important for engineering teams evaluating high-power or cold-weather platforms. Strengthening our IP portfolio alongside this technical progress remains an important part of our strategy." — V-Bond Lee, President and CEO