Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

SkyNano, a leader in sustainable materials innovation, has been awarded a $1.25 million contract from the United States Air Force. The 21-month project, in collaboration with American Energy Technologies Company (AETC) and Eonix Energy Company, aims to develop technologies that will establish a domestic, sustainable, and low-cost supply chain for battery-grade graphite.

Both SkyNano and Eonix are alums of the “Innovation Crossroads” program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. SkyNano was in the inaugural cohort, while Eonix was in the second cohort. Both companies were recruited to Knoxville from other regions and have chosen to remain here to grow their businesses.

As part of this effort, SkyNano will apply its core CO₂-to-CNT (carbon dioxide to carbon nanotube) process to create graphitizable carbon structures. AETC will convert these structures into battery-grade graphite, essential for lithium-ion batteries in electronics and electric vehicles. The U.S. currently relies heavily on foreign sources to produce and supply this material. Thus, this project represents a significant leap toward securing a domestic supply chain for graphite.

U.S. Domestic Supply Chain

This award aligns with recent government efforts to strengthen domestic supply chains for critical minerals. White House Executive Orders focused on ensuring the United States’ economic and national security recently highlighted this domestic goal. With the support of this contract, SkyNano and its partners will play a crucial role in fostering domestic production and innovation in the energy storage sector, while promoting sustainability by utilizing carbon emissions as a raw material input during the production of highly valuable solid carbon structures such as graphite.

“We are excited to partner with AETC and Eonix to develop sustainable technologies that address both environmental and supply chain challenges and helps to ensure national security through onshoring production of critical materials,” said Anna Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of SkyNano. “This contract will enable us to further tailor our flagship CO₂-to-CNT process to meet the needs of the energy storage industry, helping to secure a domestic supply of battery-grade graphite, which is essential for a range of industries, including defense and clean energy.  Furthermore, we’re very eager to partner with AETC and Eonix, as SkyNano has executed multiple highly productive projects with each of these partners, and we look forward to continuing this fruitful innovation.”

Project Collaboration and Goals

1. SkyNano will modify its CO₂ conversion process to produce graphitizable carbon structures.
2. American Energy Technologies Company will process these structures into battery-grade graphite. This enhanced material is vital to the production of lithium-ion batteries.
3. Eonix Energy Company will test the graphite in lithium-ion batteries. Specifically, they will ensure that the graphite produced meets the highest standards for use in next-generation batteries.

This initiative supports the U.S. government’s broader strategy to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers and promote energy independence. This partnership will do just this, while also driving innovation in clean energy technologies. Consequently, by leveraging carbon emissions and turning them into valuable materials, this project embodies the principles of sustainability and circular economy.

---