Solid Ultrabattery Releases Preliminary Test Data on the Safety of its Lithium-Metal Battery Solid State Electrolyte

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CALGARY, Alberta, July 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saint Jean Carbon Inc. (“Saint Jean” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: SJL) is pleased to announce updates from its newly acquired Solid Ultrabattery subsidiary (SUB):

The company is pleased to announce that it has successfully fabricated its proprietary CMC-1 solid-state electrolyte (SSE) separator in a laboratory environment. The CMC-1 SSE was thermal tested against a commercial polymeric separator which is typically found in today’s competitor lithium-ion battery technology.  

The results show that the CMC-1 SSE maintained its structural integrity at elevated temperatures of 200°C with no loss of structural support. The commercial polymeric membrane was observed losing structural integrity at 120°C and subsequently appeared to disintegrate by 200°C. This loss of structural integrity in the current technology can result in a battery fire, due to internal short circuits when the polymeric membrane is breached. Commercialized lithium-ion battery technologies using polymeric membranes require a strict thermal management regiment and typically require battery management systems to begin limiting battery discharge well below 70°C at the cell level for an adequate margin of safety against thermal events.

Solid Ultrabattery’s CMC-1 SSE superior thermal performance at wider temperature ranges ensures better stability while maintaining good ionic conductivity resulting in better capability to prevent internal short circuits. A higher level of product safety can be realized as this configuration will substantially lower the probability of thermal runaway. The CMC-1 SSE batteries will enable battery pack designers to employ lower cost thermal management strategies for failsafe operation of our lithium metal battery.

“We are extremely pleased to have such a promising result early in our development phase and are excited with our future prospects in the rechargeable energy storage space. The potential safety aspect of this battery design exceeds all present commercialized technology. I look forward to the startup and commissioning of our new facility in Guelph, Ontario, where we will rapidly build and validate our technology on a larger scale,” quotes Dr. William Pfaffenberger.

The results of these tests can be found at www.subattery.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors
Saint Jean Carbon Inc.
William Pfaffenberger, Chairman of the Board and President

Information Contact:
Email: info@saintjeancarbon.com
Tel: (250) 381-6181

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jean’s business and affairs.  In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as ‘‘plans’’, ‘‘expects’’ or ‘‘does not expect’’, “intends” ‘‘budget’’, ‘‘scheduled’’, ‘‘estimates’’, “forecasts’’, ‘‘intends’’, ‘‘anticipates’’ or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results ‘‘may’’, ‘‘could’’, ‘‘would’’, ‘‘might’’ or ‘‘will be taken’’, ‘‘occur’’ or ‘‘be achieved’’. 

These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. Although Saint Jean believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Such statements include statements with respect to: (i) the Company’s plans to build and test solid electrolyte batteries in a laboratory or from the new facility and subsequent test results; (ii) efforts to source new battery testing equipment to enable in-house testing; and (iii) the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property. Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities legislation.