Authors: Jean E. Marshall, Alfred Madzvamuse, Akash Ratnayaka, Daniel Martin, Briséïs Mercadier, Kat Lukic, Mahender
Peddi, Loubna Hdidou, Daniela Proprentner, Ieuan Ellis, Phillip Johns, Alexander Groombridge, Louis F. J. Piper
Our latest publication with the Battery Materials and Cells group at WMG, University of Warwick is a capstone of an Innovate UK (IUK), Faraday Battery Challenge project (DANCER) with Echion Technologies to scale up 1 Ah pouch cells for fast cycling and long life using their proprietary material XNO® anode solution.
Jean E. Marshall, Alfred Madzvamuse, Akash A.W. Ratnayaka, Daniel Martin, Briséïs Mercadier, Katarina Lukic, Mahender Peddi, Loubna Hdidou, Daniela Proprentner, Ieuan Ellis, Phillip Johns, Alexander S. Groombridge, Louis F.J. Piper, Long-lifetime multilayer XNO®||NMC532 pouch cells: Scale up and characterization, Chemical Engineering Journal Advances, 2026
This work demonstrates a scale-up process for a proprietary niobium-containing anode material, highlighting the challenges that needed to be met and overcome: from initial small-scale (tens of g) electrode coatings to optimised the formulation of the electrodes at 10L scale. Over 200 pouch cells containing the niobium-based anode against the single crystal NMC532 were built and tested. The pouch cells retained over 90 % of their initial discharge capacity over 2500 charge/discharge cycles under accelerated aging conditions at a rate of 2 C at 45 °C.
Introduction
Challenge: for a particular new chemistry, good results found at lab scale in coin cells may not directly translate to success at industrial scale in pouch cells.
Aim: to produce pouch cells with fast charging and excellent cycle life.
Approach: Initial screen of multiple formulations using the desired cell chemistry, using a DOE experimental approach to downselect desirable
chemical compositions based on such factors as slurry viscosity, coating adhesion, resistivity, and cycle life.
Cell chemistry: NMC532 vs XNO®, the proprietary Nb-containing anode material from Echion Technologies. Over 270 1Ah pouch cells produced from the most promising formulations, using the roll-to-roll pilot line at WMG.
Mixing and Coating
Large-scale (1L and 10L) mix and coat carried out for downselected formulations.
Characterisation – SEM
Characterisation methods including SEM used to periodically monitor film quality of the large-scale films compared to coin cell equivalents, as shown here for the NMC532 cathode calendered to varying densities.
Cell Testing
Cell performance is substantially dependent on calendered density of the cathode (data shown for coin cells).
Multi-Layer Pouch Cell Ageing conditions (45°C):
- 2 C CCCV (Charge)
- 2 C CC (Discharge)
- 1.5 – 3.0 V
Use of larger cell formats, such as the MLP, allow accelerated aging tests to be conducted in a cell format more representative of higher TRL products.
Battery Materials and Cells Group
The BMAC research group at WMG, University of Warwick is a unique, all-in-one battery research group, offering a complete development pipeline from materials research, synthesis and cell prototyping to scale-up and advanced metrology, including our new state-of-art facility: AMBIC. Our comprehensive approach accelerates innovation from lower to higher technology readiness levels (TRLs), all under one roof. Our expertise spans the entire battery lifecycle, from materials research and prototyping to scaled-up production and in-depth analysis.
We leverage cutting-edge electrochemical techniques and materials science knowledge to develop innovative solutions for energy storage. Our research goes beyond lithium-ion, exploring promising next-generation chemistries to meet the demands of a sustainable future.