Hydrogen Storage Collaboration with Sigma-Aldrich

RNS Number : 9535H

Ilika plc

07 June 2011

 



June 7, 2011

Ilika plc

("Ilika" or the "Company")

Hydrogen Storage Collaboration with Sigma-Aldrich Materials Science

Scaling Up and Commercialisation of Boron Hydride Materials

Ilika plc (AIM:IKA), the advanced cleantech materials discovery company, and Aldrich Materials Science, a strategic technology initiative of Sigma-Aldrich (NASDAQ:SIAL), today announced that they have signed an agreement that will see the two companies collaborating to work on the scale-up and commercialization of next generation hydrogen-storage materials. Both parties believe that this enterprise will become a vital component of the energy industry's efforts to develop consumer-friendly hydrogen storage materials for fuel cell and clean combustion technology.

Hydrogen represents an attractive carrier of energy as its combustion or direct conversion to electricity via a fuel cell does not lead to the emission of carbon dioxide. In addition, hydrogen can be seen as an alternative energy carrier to battery technology since the energy density of hydrogen can be substantially higher than that of batteries. The main criteria for hydrogen storage for transport purposes, as outlined by the US Freedom Car Initiative (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/freedomcar_plan.pdf ), are to supply enough hydrogen to enable a driving range of approximately 500 km, charge and recharge at near room temperature and provide hydrogen at rates fast enough for operation in automobiles.

Current prototype applications use either very high pressure compressed hydrogen (approx. 700 bar) or cryogenically cooled liquid hydrogen. These methods consume a significant percentage of the energy content in their compression and conversion, 15% and 30% respectively, and both raise safety concerns. By contrast, Ilika's storage solution is a solid metal hydride, which exists as a powder stored in a cylinder at moderate pressure (10 bar) and stable at room temperature. When warmed to moderate temperatures, hydrogen is released for use as fuel.

The target weight percentage of hydrogen stored in such a material for it to be economically viable has been set at 6% by the US Department of Energy. Current commercially-available hydride materials can achieve up to 2.3 weight % of hydrogen. The hydride materials being verified and scaled-up by Aldrich Materials Science can potentially store up to 10 weight % of hydrogen, reversibly.

Commenting on the collaboration, Ilika's CEO, Graeme Purdy, said: "This agreement is a great example of how Ilika works with its partners to develop innovative materials that solve complex industrial challenges, allowing us to share in the resulting commercial upside. Sigma-Aldrich is a world leader with renowned capability in the field of materials science.  The scale-up of our materials will benefit from the expertise the Aldrich Materials Science initiative brings to us.  In particular, Sigma-Aldrich's mechano-chemistry know-how and processing is a proven tool for the preparation of novel materials for industrial purposes.  We are very pleased to be working with them."

R&D Manager for Aldrich Materials Science, Viktor Balema, added: "We have been very impressed by Ilika's unique high-throughput discovery capabilities, which are very complementary to our scale-up facilities at Sigma-Aldrich. The collaboration, done as part of our custom research services, creates the unique opportunity to rapidly move from discovery to first commercialization, making innovative energy storage materials available to end users in a short period of time. Through collaborative custom research projects, we enable materials innovation in the alternative energy, electronics and biomedical markets."

For more information contact:

Ilika plc Graeme Purdy, Chief Executive ([e-mail]) Steve Boydell, Finance Director ([e-mail])	[phone] www.ilika.com
Sigma Aldrich Materials Science Angel Thompson, Tactical Marketing ([e-mail])	+(1) 414 438 5118 www.sigma-aldrich.com/matsci
Nomura Code Securities Limited (NOMAD to Ilika) Phil Walker / Christopher Golden	[phone] www.nomuracode.com
Pelham Bell Pottinger (PR to Ilika) Archie Berens / Charlotte Offredi ([e-mail])	[phone]
Impress Public Relations (PR to Sigma Aldrich)	+(1) 503 616 3817
Mark Button, Senior Vice President ([e-mail])

ABOUT ILIKA 

Ilika is an advanced materials company which accelerates the discovery of new and patentable materials using its unique high throughput technologies (''HTT'') process for identified end uses in the energy, electronics and biomedical sectors. This process enables hundreds of scalable materials to be made in a single, automated operation and subsequently tested for key properties.

Traditionally, materials development has been a slow and arduous task, with manual, sequential methods used to make samples of material that are then tested for suitability. On average, it takes between 7 and 10 years to move from an initial discovery through to the first commercial prototype. Experiments carried out by the Company can be executed 10 to 100 times faster than using traditional techniques.

The Company focuses on three principal sectors and has a number of active development programmes addressing markets within each sector:

Energy - developing innovative new materials for Lithium-ion batteries for vehicles for Toyota; developing high capacity hydrogen storage materials with Shell Hydrogen and Johnson Matthey through joint development programmes; developing cheaper alternatives to Platinum electrodes for use in fuel cells through a grant-funded project with the Carbon Trust; developing new materials for use in fuel cells for the transport sector for a major vehicle manufacturer; and carrying out in-house research on film photovoltaic solar cells.

Electronics - developing lead-free piezoelectric materials through a joint development programme with CeramTec; developing phase change memory materials for high capacity memory chips and high-performing electronic materials for a multi-national manufacturer.

Biomedical - developing polymers to enable the filtering of somatic stem cells from blood with a major global supplier of filters; it has been selling its Cryoskin and Myskin products for the treatment of burns and wounds in the UK through a specialist distributor and intends to commence clinical trials of its corneal bandage candidate.

The Group's commercialisation strategy is to enter into joint development or licensing agreements with large multinational companies which are seeking to commercialise products developed using the intellectual property created through jointly-funded programmes. Current commercialisation partners include large multinational companies such as Toyota, Shell, Johnson Matthey and CeramTec. The Company generates revenues from three sources: licensing and milestone payments from joint development programmes; fee for service from contract research projects; and from sales of Cryoskin and Myskin.

ABOUT SIGMA-ALDRICH

Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life Science and High Technology company committed to Enabling Science to Improve the Quality of Life. Its chemical and biochemical products and kits are used in scientific research, including genomic and proteomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development and as key components in pharmaceutical, diagnostic and other high technology manufacturing. The Company has customers in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals, and in industry. Over one million scientists and technologists use its products. Sigma-Aldrich operates in 40 countries and has 7,700 employees providing excellent service worldwide. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit its award-winning Web site at http://www.sigma-aldrich.com.

Aldrich and Sigma-Aldrich are registered trademarks of Sigma-Aldrich Biotechnology LP and Sigma-Aldrich Co. 

 

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