AGY’s S2 Glass® Fiber Reinforces Terra Supreme’s Next-Generation Group 31 Batteries

High-strength glass fiber enables dimensionally stable composite grids designed to address a primary cause of lead-acid battery failure

AIKEN, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AGY, a leading manufacturer of advanced specialty glass fibers, today announced that its S2 Glass® fiber is being used by Terra Supreme Battery in the composite grids incorporated into the company’s new Group 31 bipolar lead-acid batteries.

Terra Supreme Battery combines pure lead with high-strength S2 Glass fiber to create dimensionally stable composite grids. According to Terra Supreme Battery, the glass fiber reinforcement is 10 times stronger than steel by weight and helps maintain the structural integrity of the battery’s internal grid system throughout repeated charging and discharging cycles.

The reinforced composite-grid technology eliminates positive active-material shedding, which Terra Supreme identifies as a major failure mode across lead-acid battery chemistries. Dimensionally stabilizing positive active material by maintaining original glass-reinforced grid geometry throughout service life improves battery durability, cycle life and long-term performance.

“S2 Glass fiber was developed for applications where exceptional strength, durability and dimensional stability are essential,” said Patrick Hunter, Chief Commercial Officer and President of AGY. “Terra Supreme’s innovative use of S2 Glass demonstrates how advanced glass-fiber reinforcement can help transform a well-established battery chemistry and address one of its most persistent performance limitations.”

Terra Supreme’s battery uses a bipolar architecture with horizontally oriented plates, an efficient internal current path and no conventional internal busbars. The battery is designed as a direct Group 31 replacement that can operate without changes to an existing charging system.

“Our objective was to rethink the lead-acid battery from the inside out,” said Benny E. Jay, Chief Technology Officer of TSB. “AGY’s S2 Glass fiber provides the strength and dimensional stability required for our proprietary composite grids. This enables us to structurally secure the active material, extend service life and deliver significantly improved performance from a familiar, recyclable battery chemistry.”

Terra Supreme reports that its Group 31 battery provides:

• 1,200 cold-cranking amps
• 1,800 marine-cranking amps
• 3,000 pulse hot-cranking amps
• 240 minutes of reserve capacity
• Up to 4,000 cycles at 60% depth of discharge
• An integrated Bluetooth®-enabled battery monitoring system
• A five-year limited replacement warranty

The battery is designed for high-power engine-starting and deep-cycle applications across commercial transportation, emergency services, industrial equipment, agriculture, aerospace, military, marine, recreational vehicle, railroad, and both off-grid and grid-tied energy-storage markets.

“The Terra Supreme Battery application illustrates the value S2 Glass can bring beyond traditional aerospace, defense and industrial composite markets,” Hunter added. “It is an excellent example of two American manufacturers applying advanced materials and engineering to improve the performance, reliability and sustainability of a critical energy-storage product.”

About AGY

AGY is a leading innovator and manufacturer of specialty glass fibers enabling high-performance composite solutions for aviation, defense, electronics, artificial intelligence, digital connectivity and architecture applications that are integral to civilian life and critical to the national security supply chain. Headquartered in Aiken, SC, AGY is the singular remaining specialty glass fiber manufacturer in the United States. Flexible production operations, R&D teams, and a product innovation center allow AGY to customize material solutions and develop next-generation products for clients globally.

About Terra Supreme Battery

Terra Supreme Battery develops and manufactures advanced bipolar value-regulated lead-acid batteries designed to provide improved power density, cycle life, efficiency and durability. Headquartered in Albion, Indiana, the company’s Group 31 battery combines a bipolar architecture, advanced composite materials and integrated battery technology in a direct-replacement format. Additional information is available at www.terrasupremebattery.com.