Why is the U.S. military investing in silicon oxide and graphene batteries?

The Department of Defense recently signed a $15 million contract with Nanograph , bringing its total investment to around $45 million .

Nanographs Silicon Oxide graphene, or SOG batteries, are versatile enough for everything from phones and backup storage to EVs.

They claim their battery cell offers up to 20% more range and 50% more playback time.

Graphene 's atoms are arranged in a honeycomb like structure and even at just one atom thick, it's 200 times stronger than steel.

Silicon anode makes for an impressive anode because it's crazy good at storing lithium ions.

But silicon isn't perfect either.

Storing vast amounts of lithium means it tends to swell and warp more than standard lithium batteries with a graphite anode.

Nanograph 's SOG batteries can be just dropped in to any pre-existing silicon oxide battery production line, and it plays well with existing cathodes.

Nanograph claims that they can use cheaper, easier battery techniques to fabricate their stuff instead of the typical costlier silicon manufacturing techniques like vapor deposition.

Nanographs just began their first large volume production run of M38 eighteen 650 cells for the US military.