Executive Brief
Luquos Energy is a CUHK spin-off specializing in high-safety, long-duration aqueous flow batteries. Their core innovation centers on using earth-abundant elements and non-flammable electrolytes to solve the cost and safety limitations of lithium-ion and vanadium-based systems for stationary energy storage.
Strategic Fit & Lead Score
Lead Score: 68/100 (Strong Potential - Adjacent Tech)
Why this Score? While Luquos focuses on "low-cost" materials, their primary technical hurdles are electrode degradation, side reactions (water electrolysis), and electrolyte sensing. 6C’s Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) is the world’s most chemically inert and electrochemically stable material. It provides a unique "window" for aqueous chemistry that standard carbon or metal electrodes cannot match, offering a path to the "long cycle-life" Luquos promises.
6C Solutions Proposal
| Application Area | 6C Solution | Technical Value Prop |
|---|---|---|
| Electrode Longevity | BDD Coated Electrodes | BDD has an extremely wide electrochemical potential window (approx. 3V-4V in aqueous solutions), significantly reducing oxygen/hydrogen evolution side reactions that limit flow battery efficiency. |
| State-of-Charge (SoC) Sensing | BDD Micro-Sensors | 6C can provide BDD-on-Silicon sensors for real-time monitoring of electrolyte redox species. BDD resists "fouling" and chemical attack in harsh aqueous environments better than gold or platinum. |
| Current Collectors | BDD Coating on Ti/Nb | Direct MPCVD coating of diamond onto metal current collectors to prevent corrosion and leaching of heavy metals into the electrolyte, extending the system's "Safe Life." |
| High-Purity Hydrogen Supply | 6C H2 Generators | For their R&D and pilot lines, 6C provides 9N-purity hydrogen generators (99.9999999%) required for precision plasma processing or controlled atmosphere battery assembly. |
| Process Scaling | Custom MPCVD Reactors | If Luquos moves toward proprietary carbon-diamond composite electrodes, 6C can design and install a bespoke MPCVD reactor for their facility to bring electrode fabrication in-house. |
Engagement Hooks
- Technical Question: "How are you currently managing the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during high-rate charging, and would an electrode with a wider electrochemical window—like Boron Doped Diamond—help suppress those parasitic losses?"
- Value Statement: "6C can help Luquos Energy achieve its 'long cycle-life' goals by providing BDD electrode coatings that are virtually immune to the chemical corrosion and fouling that typically degrade aqueous flow battery performance."