RCS - Ilika plc - Goliath safety test results

IlikaAnnouncement

05/09/2024 07:00

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RNS Number : 9484C  Ilika plc  05 September 2024

 

Reach

Ilika plc

("Ilika" or the "Company")

 

Goliath Prototypes Demonstrate Superior Safety

 

Independent assessment by University College London: Results exceed
expectations

Goliath prototypes withstand test without exploding or overheating, unlike
lithium-ion cells

 

Ilika (AIM: IKA), an independent global expert in solid state battery
technology, announces that safety tests undertaken by independent expert
assessors have demonstrated the superior safety of Goliath solid state cell
battery prototypes relative to lithium-ion equivalent batteries.

 

University College London carried out the nail penetration test, a standard
battery safety assessment , on Ilika's Goliath P1 prototype cells. This
destructive test creates an internal electrical short-circuit inside a cell by
piercing the cell with a metal nail. The test simulates a catastrophic
incident that would typically cause energy-dense lithium-ion cells with
lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide ("NMC") cathode chemistry (, to
dangerously swell, rupture, explode, and catch fire in a process known as
thermal runaway, often leading to temperatures above 600°C. Goliath P1 cells
also use high-energy NMC cathode chemistry, however in the nail penetration
tests the P1 cells neither exploded nor caught fire, with external
temperatures remaining below 80°C.

 

With electric vehicles ("EVs")  expected to play a key role in the NetZero
transition, solid state batteries are anticipated to provide a safer battery
solution for next-generation EVs. It is expected  that a combination of
improved safety performance and high energy density will reduce the complexity
of battery packs. The reduction of parasitic packaging is, in turn, expected
to lead to lighter and safer vehicles with longer driving range.

 

Testing was carried out as part of a short collaborative study, in association
with the Faraday Institution SafeBatt project, which aims to develop an
improved understanding of safety in next generation battery technologies. The
study involves Ilika alongside researchers from the University of Oxford and
University College London. The core Safebatt project explores the science of
battery safety and works closely with UK battery developers and manufacturers
like Ilika to inform industrial design and deployment.

 

A video of the test can be found here
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIP_jwKa9SU) .

 

Graeme Purdy, Ilika CEO, stated: "Ilika has designed solid state cells
intended to provide a safer alternative to high-energy lithium-ion batteries.
Thanks to SafeBatt and this study, we have now observed test results which
contribute to a growing body of evidence demonstrating Goliath's superior
safety performance."

 

Dr James Robinson, Lecturer in Advanced Propulsion at University College
London and Safebatt Project Leader, said: "These early results have exceeded
our expectations in terms of cell safety. While there is still further testing
to be undertaken, there seems to be an inherent safety advantage in nail
penetration tests for this cell type over conventional state-of-the-art
cells."

 

Professor Paul Shearing, Statutory Professor in Sustainable Energy Engineering
at the University of Oxford and Safebatt Principal Investigator, commented:
"Embedding advanced safety testing in the development cycle for next
generation batteries is critical to accelerating their deployment, and we are
delighted to work with Ilika in this study to translate our understanding of
battery safety to their solid state technology."

 

 For more information contact:
 Ilika plc                                               www.ilika.com (http://www.ilika.com/)
 Graeme Purdy, Chief Executive                           Via Walbrook PR
 Jason Stewart, Chief Financial Officer

 Panmure Liberum Limited (Nomad and Joint Broker)        Tel: 020 3100 2000
 Andrew Godber, John More,
 Nikhil Varghese, Josh Borlant

 Joh. Berenberg, Gossler & Co. KG (Joint Broker)         Tel: 020 3207 8700
 Mark Whitmore, Detlir Elezi,
 Natasha Ninkov

 Walbrook PR Ltd             Tel: 020 7933 8780 / Ilika@walbrookpr.com
 Nick Rome, Charlotte Edgar, Joe Walker                  Mob: 07748 325 236

 

About Ilika plc - https://www.ilika.com (https://www.ilika.com) .

Ilika specialises in the developing and commercialisation of solid state
batteries. The Company's mission is to rapidly develop leading-edge
IP, manufacture and license solid state batteries for markets that cannot be
addressed with conventional batteries due to their safety, charge rates,
energy density and life limits. The Company achieves this by using
ceramic-based lithium-ion technology that is inherently safe in manufacture
and usage, higher thermal tolerance and easier to recycle which
differentiates our products from existing batteries.

 

The Company has two product lines. Its Stereax batteries which are designed
for powering miniature medical implants, industrial wireless sensors and
specialist internet of Things (IoT) applications and the Goliath large format
batteries designed for EV cars and cordless appliances.

 

About the University of Oxford

Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World
University Rankings for the eighth year running, and number 3 in the QS World
Rankings 2024. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our
ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer.

 

Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some
of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of
millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships
and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research
alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and
inventive insights and solutions.

 

Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation,
Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in
the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 300 new companies
since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past five
years. The university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the
United Kingdom, contributing £15.7 billion to the UK economy
(https://www.ox.ac.uk/about/facts-and-figures/economic-impact) in 2018/19, and
supports more than 28,000 full time jobs.

 

About the Faraday Institution

The Faraday Institution is the UK's independent institute for electrochemical
energy storage research, skills development, market analysis, and early-stage
commercialisation. Bringing together expertise from universities and industry,
the Faraday Institution endeavours to make the UK the go-to place for the
research and development of new electrical storage technologies for both the
automotive and wider relevant sectors. Headquartered at the Harwell Science
and Innovation Campus, the Faraday Institution is a registered charity with an
independent board of trustees, and a delivery partner for the Faraday Battery
Challenge.

 

For more information on the Faraday Institution, visit www.faraday.ac.uk
(http://www.faraday.ac.uk) and follow @FaradayInst
(https://twitter.com/faradayinst?lang=en) on twitter (X).

 

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