PyroGenesis Announces Acquisition of Intellectual Property Rights Related to the PUREVAPᵀᴹ Nano Silicon Reactor and Nano-Silicon Development

MONTREAL, March 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX: PYR) (OTCQX: PYRGF) (FRA: 8PY), a high-tech company (the “Company” or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes advanced plasma processes and sustainable solutions which are geared to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) and address environmental pollutants, today announces that, further to HPQ Silicon Inc.’s (“HPQ Silicon”) press release dated November 17, 2023, indicating that HPQ Silicon would no longer be pursuing the commercial development of the PUREVAP^TM Nano Silicon Reactor (NSiR) in order to focus on other initiatives, PyroGenesis has reacquired the intellectual property rights to the NSiR technology on a no-cost basis.

The PUREVAP NSiR is a proprietary process, originally designed and developed by PyroGenesis on behalf of HPQ Nano Silicon Powders Inc. (“HPQ Nano”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of HPQ Silicon, that can use different purities of silicon (Si) as feedstock to make a wide range of spherical silicon nano- and micro-powders and wires, for potential use across various applications including as a potential replacement metal in lithium-ion batteries.

Under the terms of a 2020 Development and Purchase Agreement between PyroGenesis and HPQ Nano, all rights in the PUREVAP NSiR process (including any intellectual property rights) were assigned to HPQ Nano on condition that should HPQ Nano choose not to commercialize the technology, PyroGenesis would have the option to have the ownership of this technology revert back to it at no additional cost.

“Nano silicon is still in its infancy, and so is the understanding of its usefulness. Reacquiring the intellectual property related to the PUREVAP NSiR allows us to continue to explore the full spectrum of possibilities for this metal,” said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis.

By reacquiring this technology, PyroGenesis will also be reacquiring the rights to the invention entitled “NANO-SILICON PARTICLES/WIRE PRODUCTION BY ARC FURNACE FOR RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES”, which is subject to US and PCT patent applications.

The Company’s development of technology to produce nano-silicon is part of the Company’s three-tiered solution ecosystem that aligns with economic drivers that are key to global heavy industry. Nano-silicon production via the PUREVAP NSiR is part of the Company’s Commodity Security & Optimization tier, where the recovery of viable metals, and the optimization of production to increase output, helps to maximize raw materials and improve the availability of critical minerals.