NEO Battery Materials will launch a research consortium with the University of Toronto and an anonymous OEM which will develop lithium-ion technologies, according to a Letter of Intent.

The research will bolster Canada's emerging electric vehicle industry, the company said.

A joint Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Alliance Grant Proposal will also be developed. This will be the foundation research project to create the NEO Centre for Battery Materials at the university.

The focus of this consortium will be to develop and optimise battery nanocoating materials for NEO's silicon-based negative electrodes or anodes.

As part of the project, silicon-carbon composite anodes will be made, using NEO's silicon particle nanocoating process. The centre will also research novel binder technologies and renewable carbon conductive additives to improve the quality of NEO's silicon anodes.

NEO's Scientific advisors Dr. Mohini Sain and Dr. Ning Yan, who are also professors at the university, will lead the research.

"Through this initiative, NEO will use this as a ground for further applications to the Sustainable Development Technology Canada and both federal and provincial government funding for zero-emission and cleantech projects," NEO's chief executive Spencer Huh said.

NEO Battery Materials produces silicon anodes materials to be used in electric vehicles.