Xtalic Corporation Announces Enhancements to its Patented LUNA Nanostructured Silver Coating

LUNA represents a major step forward for EV manufacturers in terms of achieving higher ampacity at higher temperatures, allowing for increased transient power transmission and thermal stability above 220 C while maintaining reliability, protection, and efficiency.

FREMONT, CA: Xtalic Corporation, trusted advisor in breakthrough material solutions announced that its patented LUNA nanostructured silver coating boosts connector drivetrain output, extends safe temperature ranges in power electronics, and reduces charging times for critical high-voltage Electric Vehicle (EV) electrical connections such as high-power connectors and charger contacts.

LUNA represents a major step forward for EV manufacturers in terms of achieving higher ampacity at higher temperatures, allowing for increased transient power transmission and thermal stability above 220 C while maintaining reliability, protection, and efficiency. Electrical derating of connectors at temperature offers a safety margin but restricts efficiency in the case of conventional contact finishes such as silver. Traditional silver cannot provide the hardness, resilience, corrosion resistance, or longevity required in the designs of tomorrow's EVs, so LUNA's proprietary nanostructured silver alloy is designed for elevated temperature contact physics to solve fundamental limitations of traditional silver.

Xtalic engineers collaborate with EV OEM and Tier 1 designers to customize LUNA properties to meet the specific challenges and goals of each vital electrical communication app, using the company's Dynamic Nanostructure Control and proprietary Rapid Alloy Design toolkits. LUNA aims to pass more current at a higher maximum operating temperature (220 C) in high-power EV connectors while maintaining safe operation. LUNA has a low insertion force and improved wear in EV charger contacts, allowing for a much thinner coating (at 25 percent thickness compared to conventional silver) for better longevity and corrosion resistance.

LUNA improves contact physics' thermal stability above the highest contact interface temperature (170 C) and transient current carrying capacity of conventional silver. After a 4,000-hour heat age at 210 C, LUNA's thermal stability provides low and stable resistance. LUNA is also two times tougher than standard silver plating across the entire temperature range (23 to 200 C).

Compared to conventional silver-plated connectors, the use of LUNA in high-power connectors allows for increased power at temperature, and the implementation process is easy. The traditional method of electrodeposition for connectors is used to make LUNA. Xtalic offers access to the chemistry, operation, and IP that allows existing electroplating facilities to be used. With a multinational team of application engineers spread across existing high-volume lines and modern supply chain installations, Xtalic performs material design, early-stage samples, and development support.