Battery Potential

Karthik Ramaswami - Duracell

Why does Duracell not make Li-ion batteries? Battery expert Karthik Ramaswami joins us to tell the story of Duracell's ambitious 1990s initiative to commercialize Li-ion technology and the strategic factors that ultimately led to the program's dissolution. From shipping electrodes and slurries across the ocean to the fit between product and market, Karthik provides insights into a pivotal moment in North American battery production.

Oliver Gross - Valence

Battery materials veteran Oliver Gross joins Vincent Chevrier and Kevin Eberman to trace his journey from ceramic research at the University of Toronto through the formative years of lithium-ion battery development. Oliver shares his experiences at Ultralife and a decade at Valence Technology — where he witnessed firsthand the internal discovery of LFP as a cathode material and the early commercialization of LFP cells using Bellcore's plastic Li-ion technology, including Valence's pioneering production in Northern Ireland and subsequent move to production in China.

Michel Gauthier - Phostech Lithium

LiFePO4 (LFP) pioneer Michel Gauthier joins Vincent Chevrier and Kevin Eberman to discuss the early days of battery research at Hydro-Québec focused on Li metal polymer batteries (80s-90s). How these led to identifying LFP, the carbon coating LFP patent, and the founding of Phostech Lithium, the first company in the world to offer stoichiometric carbon coated LiFePO4 as a product. Michel's story gives an insight into the ups and downs of the early 2000s that shaped the North American LFP scene and eventually the global LFP market.

Jeff Dahn - Moli Energy

World-renowned Li-ion battery scientist Jeff Dahn joins Vincent Chevrier and Kevin Eberman to discuss the early days of Moli Energy in the 1980s and 1990s. The Canadian company Moli Energy was the first company in the world to commercialize a rechargeable Li metal cell. Jeff tells the story of how Moli came to be, its path to commercialization, and the disastrous recall that bankrupted the company and led to Japanese ownership.

Introduction

Hosts Vincent Chevrier and Kevin Eberman introduce the idea of Battery Potential, discuss their backgrounds, mention some guests they plan on interviewing and topics they hope to explore.