Lithium-Ion Batteries

Battery Program Overview

Next generation batteries – with higher energy density, better safety profile, and lower cost – require the discovery of new materials. The discovery of these materials is hindered by the numerous variables affecting battery performance – electrode material, binder, electrolyte, conductive additive, particle size and morphology just to name a few.

Wildcat has developed a unique high throughput workflow for the discovery of new electrode materials. This workflow allows new electrochemically active materials to be synthesized and formulated under a variety of different conditions, then tested in complete electrochemical cells. This workflow allows the testing of over one thousand cells per week, rapidly accelerating electrode development and increasing the opportunity for breakthrough battery material discovery.

Wildcat's high throughput battery workflow is fully automated throughout the entire process, which includes:

• Synthesis: Wildcat’s high throughput mechanochemistry and high temperature synthesis platforms allow for the synthesis of a wide range of pertinent material types, including oxides, phosphates, intermetallics, complex hydrides, and p-block materials. In addition to investigating novel composition of matter, these tools allow precise control of other critical variables including particle size and morphology.


• Formulation: Wildcat’s material handling tools allow for each material to be formulated into multiple electrodes in which the amounts and types of conductive additives, binders, electrolyte, and additives are varied. This ensures that promising materials are identified, regardless of the formulation required. This is especially valuable for materials with low intrinsic conductivity or high voltage systems which degrade standard electrolytes.


• Screening: Each formulated electrode is assembled directly into a complete cell. Wildcat has developed a proprietary, massively parallel electrochemical assay which independently tests every cell. This platform is fully flexible and allows Wildcat’s scientists to perform multiple electrochemical cycling evaluation. The system is modular and scalable, allowing rapid progression to extensive cycle testing, and larger format evaluation.