Nouveau Monde’s Research & Development Consortium Advances its Carbon-Neutral Battery Anode Program

• Nouveau Monde’s R&D consortium, led by Professor Lionel Roué of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique, advances its proprietary lithium-ion battery anode program with an important technological breakthrough
  
• Nouveau Monde is developing the western world’s largest and most sustainable supply of carbon-neutral battery anode material for the global EV industry

SAINT-MICHEL-DES-SAINTS, Quebec, Sept. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Battery anode and specialty applications company, Nouveau Monde Graphite (“Nouveau Monde” or “the Company”) (TSXV: NOU; OTCQX: NMGRF; Frankfurt: NM9) is pleased to announce that its research and development consortium, led by Professor Lionel Roué of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (“INRS”), has made significant advancements in the development of its lithium-ion (“Li-ion”) battery anode material. The team has made an important breakthrough in silicon-enhanced anode material with improved specific capacity and longer cycle life – and in doing so, has further optimised the planned production process and profitability, with demonstrated commitment to sustainability.

Nouveau Monde is continuing research, development, and commercialization of its advanced battery anode solutions for the rapidly accelerating electric vehicle and energy storage markets. Nouveau Monde is working with world renowned experts in North America, Europe and Asia to optimise anode material particle design and process flow. Successful tests have been completed and Nouveau Monde is currently progressing the detailed engineering and procurement for its integrated battery anode material process, with commissioning of the demonstration facility scheduled for mid-2021. Nouveau Monde’s proprietary sustainable transformation process limits usage of chemical additives and leverages Quebec’s clean hydropower to ensure green and responsible production.

Eric Desaulniers, President and CEO, states, “We will provide to industry-leading battery and automakers a carbon-neutral anode material that complies with the strictest performance specifications, in meaningful quantities at low-cost – we will do so with the highest standards of ESG while ensuring supply chain traceability.”

Industry Breakthrough
This grant highlights the benefit of the partnership with Dr. Lionel Roué’s team at INRS; the optimisation of Nouveau Monde’s battery anode material production line is expected to significantly increase the Company’s profitability. The cutting-edge practices that Dr. Roué and Nouveau Monde have developed considerably increases fine graphite recoveries and uses silicon to form a high-value secondary particle, useable as an active Li-ion battery anode material. Nouveau Monde’s graphite particles and binder will be used as a swelling buffer for silicon nanospheres. The resulting composite will have improved specific capacity and longer cycle life, which addresses shortfalls normally associated with silicon. In addition, the smaller graphite particles are more suitable for fast charging applications.