Tuesday, March 4, 2008

A123Systems wins patent for nanomaterial battery tech

Nanotech battery maker A123Systems Inc. has been granted a new patent for its "nanophosphate" lithium ion batteries.

The new patent, No. 7,338,734 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, protects A123's nanotech-based battery technology, according to officials at the Watertown-based company.

A123System's lithium ion batteries are already in use in certain products in the DeWalt and Black & Decker power tool lines, and is now moving into automotive applications, officials said. Last October, A123Systems showed off its technology in a retrofitted Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, in an attempt to win a deal with Massachusetts state officials to outfit a fleet of 10 state-owned hybrid electric vehicles.

Privately held A123Systems has raised $148 million in funding to date. The company, founded in 2001, was spun out of MIT and has grown to more than 850 employees worldwide, with facilities in Michigan, Canada, China and Korea.