Leader in high throughput chemical analysis and leading open-access battery technology development facility join forces to accelerate implementation of chemistry level analysis for inline/online QC/metrology in Li-Ion battery manufacturing.

Polaris will prototype a wide range of battery configurations and Applied Spectra will perform direct laser-based chemical analysis.  Both companies will collaborate on applications development.

Collaboration accelerates development of production-capable chemistry level process control to address critical yield, ramp-time, and cycle-time barriers to battery manufacturing capacity growth.

West Sacramento, California & Beaverton, Oregon, USA, May 22, 2023 (via PRWEb)  – Applied Spectra, Inc. (ASI), the world leader in laser-ablation based (LA) chemical analysis technology and Polaris Battery Labs LLC (Polaris), an open-access R&D battery prototyping and fabrication facility working with leading battery technology innovation firms and manufacturers, today announced a strategic partnership to develop high value-added chemical metrology and quality-control (QC) applications based on ASI’s Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technology that enables battery producers to dramatically improve manufacturing yields, accelerate factory ramp to baseline yield,  reduce cycle times, and improve cell performance.

Within this collaboration, Polaris will fabricate electrodes and battery cells utilizing leading-edge chemistries widely adopted in today’s production as well as those that represent next generation breakthroughs such as silicon anodes and solid-state materials.  ASI will perform LA/LIBS analysis of electrode samples to generate high resolution 3D data on chemical composition, dispersion and uniformity for key battery materials and components at multiple stages in the manufacturing process.  Additionally, Polaris will also perform a wide range of electrochemical testing on completed cells.   Both parties will collaborate on data analysis and correlation studies among chemical, e-test and physical data, as well as work with additional partners in machine learning, chemometrics and algorithms to develop metrology/QC chemical analysis applications that can have a dramatic impact on cell manufacturers’ and electrode materials suppliers’ factory ROI.

“In working with a broad cross-section of leading technology innovators and emerging manufacturers targeting the rapidly growing BEV and utility-scale storage markets, we have seen that a lack of near real-time chemistry level data in the fabrication process makes it difficult to zero in on root causes for defects and ultimately hampers their ability to scale rapidly,” commented Doug Morris, Polaris Battery Labs CEO.  “We believe that ASI’s LA/LIBS technology will be a key cornerstone of the advanced process control (APC) infrastructure that the industry must implement to realize it’s aggressive growth targets.” Jong Yoo, Applied Spectra CEO and President added: “Doug and the Polaris team have decades of experience in battery technology and fabrication processes as well as exposure to the full range of material and chemistry innovations.   The expertise of the Polaris team will be invaluable in identifying crucial metrics needed to implement production-worthy chemistry metrology/QC for APC on the production line.  We envision that future battery manufacturing facilities will implement comprehensive process control for both physical properties and chemistry and we have a roadmap to develop a full-

suite of LA/LIBS chemical analysis solutions including: online/integrated sensors deployed on roll-to-roll equipment, automated inline/standalone systems for dedicated high-throughput sample analysis and the APC software capabilities to analyze and correlate metrology data with equipment monitoring and e-test data.

About Applied Spectra

Applied Spectra, Inc. is the global leader in development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative laser ablation based chemical analysis technology. The company’s suite of LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) and LA instruments replace complicated and toxic sample preparation procedures involving acid digestion for chemical analysis. Applied Spectra’s instruments provide commercial industries and R&D communities with innovative cost-effective technologies to measure elemental and isotopic information for QC, material development and discovery, and process control applications. Please visit www.appliedspectra.com for the latest news and information about Applied Spectra and its products.

Media Relations Contact

Andrew Shih, VP Business Development – [email protected]

About Polaris Battery Labs

At Polaris we are committed to helping battery material developers large and small realize the full potential for their products and expedite the path to commercialization. In addition to our cell building services, our team of experts offers both technical expertise and marketing savvy based on decades of experience in the battery industry. We can provide assistance for everything from the basics of cell design testing, process engineering to enable the use of new technologies, and consulting at every step along the way.  We have over a decade of experience in the industry, chances are, if we can’t help you directly, we can introduce you to someone who can! Check out a full list of our services online at polarisbatterylabs.com.

Media Relations Contact

Shelly Whitlock, Executive Director of Development – [email protected]