Update on our onging SiNTL silicon-anode research programme, conducted in partnership with George Washington University.
A SiNTL formulation targeting a specific capacity of approximately 550 mAh/g has now completed more than 640 charge-discharge cycles while maintaining acceptable capacity, with testing continuing. This sits within a broader development program in which multiple SiNTL formulations are demonstrating sustained cycling performance, with several now exceeding 400 cycles.
A newer, higher-capacity formulation has demonstrated a specific capacity of approximately 600 mAh/g in early-stage testing. This result is preliminary, with fewer than 100 cycles completed to date, and further cycling is required before capacity retention can be assessed.
We’re investing in advanced equipment at George Washington University to support development and testing of higher-capacity SiNTL formulations, including cells with fast charge and discharge, and expanding SiNTL material production capability to provide greater quantities for anode development and third-party evaluation.
SiNTL is designed around two linked commercial objectives: increasing anode capacity while reducing the complexity and cost of silicon-anode manufacture, using a comparatively low-temperature production process. Lower manufacturing cost alone isn’t enough, though — the material must also retain its capacity through repeated charging and discharging, which is exactly what these extended cycling results test.
These results are directly relevant to the applications we’re already pursuing: UAVs and drones through our evaluation agreement with Energia-2000, a Ukrainian government-approved manufacturer of over 72,000 UAVs per year; aerospace and space through our agreement with Space Industries and Orbit Boy; and battery manufacturing through our recently announced letter of intent with JR Energy Solution in South Korea, where cycling data of this kind forms part of the technical evidence manufacturing partners assess when developing formulations for further cell development and potential scale-up.
Dr Kevin Moriarty, Executive Chairman, commented:
“The commercial opportunity for SiNTL is not simply about achieving higher capacity. We are developing a silicon-anode material that is designed to be simpler and substantially lower cost to manufacture than many competing approaches, while still delivering the performance battery customers require. Passing 640 cycles at around 550 mAh/g adds important evidence that those objectives can come together. At the same time, we are continuing to push capacity higher, with a newer formulation now demonstrating approximately 600 mAh/g in early testing.”