瑞士矿业和投资公司Blackstone Resources(BLS) has announced that it’s considering listing its Blackstone Technology division on the U.S. stock exchange.
尽管有关其子公司运营的细节在地面上仍然很薄，但该公司表示，它正在开发一种能够生产高能量密度锂离子电池的3D打印技术。当Blackstone Technology准备进入连续细胞生产时，其母公司现在正在权衡在美国列出它，以激发投资者的兴趣并筹集资金以资助其未来的扩张。
Blackstone Technology’s CEO Holger Gritzka claimed last year that the firm had developed a battery 3D printing process which “paves the way for the mass production of solid-state battery cells,” in a way that could open opportunities for the technology in “major markets” such as the automotive and marine industries, as well as helping build 5G wireless networks.
Ambiguous battery 3D printing
根据黑石的说法，液体电解质电池的生产线只能一次产生一种细胞类型，使其能源密集型且昂贵。为了解决这个问题，该公司表示，它已经开发了一种方法，该方法利用了3D打印的灵活性，以单一的步骤创建集成的电池和房屋，持续20％的时间比传统的设备长20％。
Given that Blackstone’s batteries are reportedly based on water-based binders rather than flammable liquid electrolytes, it also claims that they’re “completely free of pollutants.” Since July 2020, the company has announced a string of ‘milestones’ in the R&D of its proprietary technology, culminating in its recent reveal that it’s “now ready to go into production.”
但是，黑石的“厚层技术”背后的细节仍然笼罩在神秘之中。当3D打印行业反复联系以发表评论时，该公司无法澄清其技术是基于激光还是基于Binder Jet，仅将其描述为“快速的3D丝网印刷过程”，然后才能进一步详细说明其评论。
As a result, it’s difficult to assess the merits of Blackstone’s claims about its technology, and this in turn, raises questions about the firm’s potential U.S. offering. In the past, some firms have sought totake advantage of stock market trendsto turn a quick profit, thus given the level of interest surrounding 3D printing IPOs and EV batteries, Blackstone’s refusal to share casts doubt over its future intentions.
百仕通的s proposed U.S. IPO
Currently, Blackstone Resources is itself listed on the Swiss SIX exchange, where it says that it has “enjoyed good liquidity” and “healthy trading volumes.” In reality, despite the firm’s claims of having “strong support” from the Swiss market, its stock has slowly declined since peaking in January 2021, falling steadily from 5.90 Swiss francs to 3.84 since then.
For its part, Blackstone Technology says that its technology has “passed a series of major milestones” over the last 18 months which “haven’t been reflected” in the share value of its parent company, including the opening of its battery manufacturing facility in Saxony, Germany and the successful testing of its technology in February 2021.
黑石资源公司现在建立了进入大规模生产的基础设施后，它计划将其子公司浮动在美国证券交易所。虽然该公司尚未决定是否采用传统IPO的形式，还是利用3D打印的形式SPAC合并趋势，它坚持认为，此举将吸引投资者“坚决支持其雄心勃勃的扩张计划”。
According to Blackstone, it’s already talking to “large private equity firms and investment banks” about how best to conduct its IPO, but considering battery firms like量子景观,FREYRandSolid Powerhave raised capital via similar means in the past, it believes that it now holds an advantage, given that they intend to enter production from 2023-2025, while it’s targeting a full launch in September 2021.
Printed batteries on the horizon?
While Blackstone has been reluctant to detail the technology behind its upcoming batteries, several reputable 3D printing companies have also identified a market for the technology in the production of electric vehicles (EVs). Just last month, theSakuu Corporationunveiled anEV battery 3D printerthat’s designed to yield cells with much higher charge levels than conventional batteries.
UK-basedPhotocentric同时，2020年9月推出了一个全新的部门，该部门致力于eco-friendly 3D printed electric batteries. Ultimately, the company aims to develop fast-charging cells with an increased power density that have potential applications within drones, delivery robots and electric vehicles.
Elsewhere, to help find the optimal source material for battery production,6K Energyhas opened a new facility that’s dedicated to identifying可持续储能替代品. So far, the company has committed to investing $25 million in its Center of Excellence, as it seeks to address the EV, grid storage and consumer goods sectors.
要了解最新的3D印刷新闻，请不要忘记订阅3D Printing Industry newsletter或跟随我们Twitteror liking our page onFacebook.
要深入研究添加剂制造，您现在可以订阅我们的雷电竞充值YouTubechannel, featuring discussion, de-briefs and shots of 3D printing in-action.
Are you looking for a job in the additive manufacturing industry? Visit3D Printing Jobsfor a selection of roles in the industry.
Featured image shows a 5×5 cm-squared pouch cell with luminous LED, 3D printed using Blackstone’s mysterious technology. Image via Business Wire.
