12 February 2025
Gelion plc
("Gelion", "Company" or the "Group")
Gelion's GEN 3 Sulfur
Cathodes Viable for Full Solid-State Batteries
Gelion (AIM: GELN), the
Anglo-Australian battery innovator, updates on relevant progress
made in its Gen 3 Sulfur Cathode Technology, which has been in
development to unlock the potential of sulfur batteries for a range
of global energy storage applications.
Following testing by an independent
third party, a renowned European research institution, the Group
has now demonstrated that its proprietary Gen 3 Sulfur Cathode
material is viable to be paired with solid-state electrolyte
material toward full solid-state applications. This development
means Gelion has a technology with the potential to complement and
establish a significant market presence alongside traditional
Li-ion cathode chemistries (e.g. NMC or LFP).
Pairing the cathode material with
solid-state components is expected to be a critical factor
in:
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Preventing polysulfide shuttle - a
route to improving battery longevity
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Eliminating liquid electrolyte - no
leakage, lower flammability risks, and a route to better
safety
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Offering a route to higher energy
density - enabling lighter batteries
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Presenting an opportunity to apply
low-cost and sustainable sulfur cathodes to solid-state
approaches
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The Gelion Sulfur Cathode material
is identical to that used with its high-performance Gen 3 liquid
electrolyte lithium-sulfur batteries, which have already achieved
high energy density of 402 Wh/kg. This development allows Gelion to
potentially offer a solution across the liquid, semi-solid-state
and solid-state technologies, targeting an even wider range of
applications. Gelion's Sulfur Cathode technology is compatible with
multiple anode chemistries and has made significant progress over
the last 12 months to extend its applicability and potentially
remove barriers for commercialisation.
Gelion is at the forefront of
developing low-cost sulfur cathodes that can be broadly applied
across various Li battery chemistries and applications, including
electric vehicles, stationary storage, and drones, where
reliability, weight reduction and cost savings are required. Sulfur
offers significant advantages, including high energy density,
cost-effectiveness, abundance and sustainability.
Solid-state batteries have the
potential to revolutionise energy storage by enhancing safety,
increasing energy capacity, and reducing reliance on critical raw
materials. Despite their benefits, solid-state batteries require
high capital investment for development of manufacturing
capability, scalability, and to overcome material
constraints.
Gelion has adopted a Materials
Business model and plans to focus on the manufacturing scale-up of
its Gen 3 cathode material. It intends to do so by partnering with
companies with existing expertise in the design and production of
full-solid-state cells to distribute its Gen 3 cathode technology
for long term applications requiring high energy and low-cost
batteries. This will be undertaken whilst continuing to optimise
the GEN 3 cathode technology in liquid electrolyte-based silicon
and semi-solid-state battery technologies with greater potential to
electrify shorter term markets in Aerospace, Defence and niche
Automotive applications.
This development directly ties into
the Group's mission to provide global energy storage solutions that
are robust, safe and affordable with low environmental impact,
enabling the supply of clean power for all.
John Wood, Gelion CEO commented: "I am very pleased with the
balanced yet ambitious approach our team is taking in advancing our
Sulfur Cathode Technology. Sulfur has the potential to be a
game changer for battery technology and the energy
transition.
"A
successful energy transition requires two elements: the first is
technology that provides a full solution to market needs and the
second commercial development of key supply chain
relationships.
"This progress allows Gelion to confidently demonstrate to our
partners that our leading sulfur battery technology will be able to
support their own objectives across the full scope as the industry
progresses toward liquid, semi-solid-state, and full-solid-state
outcomes".
Cathode Viability for Full Solid-State
Batteries
Gelion's high energy density GEN 3
Sulfur Cathode material has been successfully tested by an
independent third party in a full solid-state configuration, a key
step toward unlocking the full potential of lithium-sulfur
chemistry potentially opening pathways for a wider range of
application.
Figure 1: Battery
technologies in which Gelion Gen 3 sulfur cathode technology has
the potential to be employed
CONTACTS
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Gelion plc
John Wood, CEO
Amit Gupta, CFO
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via
Alma
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Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker)
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+44
20 7220 0500
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Corporate Finance
Neil McDonald / Seamus Fricker /
Adam Rae
Sales
Louise Talbot
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Oberon Capital (Joint
Broker)
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+44
20 3179 5300
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Nick Lovering, Mike Seabrook, Adam
Pollock
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Alma Strategic Communications (Financial PR Adviser)
Justine James / Hannah Campbell /
Will Ellis Hancock
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+44
20 3405 0205
gelion@almastrategic.com
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About Gelion
Gelion ("gel: ion") is a global
energy storage innovator, supporting the transition to a more
sustainable economy by commercialising two globally important next
generation technologies: Lithium-Sulfur (LiS) and Zinc-based (Zn)
hybrid cells to electrify mobile and stationary applications.
Gelion plc (the Group) is listed on the London Stock Exchange's
Alternative Investment Market and wholly owns Australia based
Gelion Technologies Pty Ltd and UK based OXLiD Ltd. Gelion is
designing and delivering innovative battery technologies and
integrated systems solutions to enable that transition and return
value for its customers and investors.
Lithium Sulfur
Gelion's effort is directed at the
potential for the Li-S chemistry to deliver double the gravimetric
energy density of standard Lithium-ion chemistries whilst
concurrently reducing cost and increasing safety, targeting the EV
and e-aviation market, helping to make global transport, energy
consumption and storage more sustainable.
Gelion is developing a GEN 3 Lithium
Sulfur cell product for its high energy density sulfur cathode at
its expanded R&D facilities in Australia and UK, enabling it to
integrate with a variety of anodes ranging from graphite to silicon
to lithium metal, depending on the targeted application.
Gelion's GEN 3 cell is unlocking the
potential of sulfur batteries for a wide range of global mobile
applications including electrical vertical-take-off-and-landing
(eVTOL), drone markets, electric vehicles (EVs) and stationary
energy storage (ESS).
Advantages of Gelion's GEN 3 Lithium Sulfur
· High energy density
- Energy density > 400
Wh/kg, when using a 10+ Ah pouch cell.
· Semi-solid-state /
Solid-State as a route to increased longevity/cycle
life: GEN 3 employs a
semi-solid-state and solid-state mechanism which mitigates the
major degradation factor associated with conventional Li-S
technology.
· Increased sulfur
utilisation: GEN 3 demonstrates
the full theoretical capacity of sulfur, i.e. a much higher sulfur
utilisation than found in conventional Li-S approaches.
· Simplified supply
chain: The innovative cathode
is produced by mixing commercially available materials with
abundant sulfur using a low-energy, room-temperature process, with
potential to eliminate the need for pre-fabrication of the sulfur
composite (sulfur composite is related to cathode active material
in conventional lithium-ion batteries), streamlining the associated
supply chain and production process and enabling localised
manufacturing.
· Environmental and economic
benefits: The water-based,
standard-atmosphere cathode production process eliminates the need
for toxic solvents, leading to significant cost savings and
enhanced manufacturability.
Glossary
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1MPa
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This level of pressure replicates
real-world pressure conditions inside batteries and is crucial for
ensuring the durability, efficiency, and performance of the
separator in practical applications.
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Ah
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Ampere hours. A measure of capacity
stored in the cell. The larger the number the higher the
capacity.
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Energy density (Wh/kg)
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The ratio of energy stored per unit
weight i.e. Watt-hours per kilogram. The higher the number the
lighter the battery.
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Pouch cell
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An industry standard format of a
battery which comprises a flat pouch-shaped design with a
multi-layered laminate structure.
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Solid-to-solid conversion
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A low or polysulfide-free conversion
of sulfur within the cathode. Polysulfides are a dissolved form of
sulfur that is corrosive and reduces cycle life in traditional
lithium-sulfur batteries. Solid-to-solid conversion helps mitigate
the formation of these polysulfides.
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Semi-solid state as a route to
increased longevity/cycle life:
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Gelion's GEN 3 technology can employ
a semi-solid-state mechanism, maintaining the sulfur-based cathode
materials in the cathode, preventing their diffusion into the
electrolyte and diminishing associated battery degradation caused
by reactive polysulfides. This approach mitigates the major
degradation factor associated with conventional Li-S
technology.
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Solid state separator
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A solid-state separator is a solid
material that separates the anode and cathode in a battery,
enabling ion transfer while preventing short circuits enhancing
battery safety, supports higher energy densities, and allows stable
use of a lithium metal anode, increasing capacity and
lifespan.
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Cycle life
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The number of full charge and
discharge cycles a battery can complete before its capacity falls
below a specified level, typically 80% of the original capacity.
Higher cycle life indicates longer-lasting performance.
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Zinc
Gelion is adapting its zinc
technology to comprise an alternate cathode technology, a zinc
hybrid cell to develop complementary next-generation batteries for
the lead-acid eco-system. Early testing indicates that this
solution has the potential to maintain good energy density levels
with enhanced cost and safety aspects. Once fully developed, Gelion
intends for our zinc technology to provide a durable and
sustainable market extension within the ecosystem that supports
lead-acid batteries.
Recycling
Gelion is pioneering an innovative
battery recycling technology designed to enhance and supplement
current recycling methods. Our technology aims to significantly
reduce the initial costs of recycling plants, minimize waste, and
lower carbon emissions, while improving the purity of metal
products and enabling efficient lithium extraction. This
advancement will allow for a broader range of scrap materials to be
recycled. Currently in the feasibility stage, Gelion is committed
to advancing our technology to a pilot-scale demonstration, paving
the way for commercialisation through material production and IP
licensing.
Integration
Gelion leverages its significant
integration and BMS capability to deliver bespoke BESS for
Australian customers. These BESS are currently based on lithium-ion
technology and will also include Gelion's next-generation batteries
as these become available. Gelion will deploy BESS with our
proprietary cloud-based battery monitoring system, which will
provide real-time diagnostics and alerts to maximise performance
and return on investment for our customers.