Coherent Awarded Phase 3 of IARPA Resilience Program for High-Energy Rechargeable Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Image: 2 Ah lithium-sulfur high-energy battery cell.

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a leading provider of advanced engineered materials, announced its selection for Phase 3 of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) RESILIENCE program. The project focuses on the development of high-energy rechargeable lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. This achievement follows the company's successful completion of Phase 2 in June 2024. Coherent is one of only two companies advancing to this critical phase.

The Robust Energy Sources for Intelligence Logistics in Extreme, Novel, and Challenging Environments (RESILIENCE) program seeks to develop reliable power sources for applications in extreme and challenging environments while ensuring secure, domestic supply chains for battery material. The program is designed to increase cell energy density by up to 2x and calendar life by up to 10x beyond the performance of current commercial lithium-ion batteries.

In Phase 1 of the program, Coherent demonstrated its patented immobilized chalcogen cathodes in coin cells, achieving exceptional results. In Phase 2, Coherent successfully scaled-up the technology to large-format pouch formats. Phase 3 will focus on transitioning from research and development to the production of pre-commercial, manufacturable battery samples for rigorous testing and validation.

“The proprietary Coherent chalcogen immobilization technology is unlocking the long-sought potential of sulfur as a low-cost, high-energy cathode material,” said Rob Murano, Senior Director, Product Development and Commercialization. “Our Li-S technology delivers exceptional energy density, fast charge/discharge capabilities, and unprecedented calendar life, paving the way for a stable and secure battery material supply chain. This achievement is the culmination of over a decade of dedicated research and development, positioning us to meet the demands of emerging applications across multiple sectors.”

Coherent Li-S batteries are built on a strong portfolio of patents, including innovations in chalcogen immobilization, advanced electrolytes, and cathode manufacturing. These innovations enable sulfur cathodes to operate near theoretical capacity with high cycle stability and efficiency across a broad temperature range. Additionally, Coherent technology allows for customization of cathode performance by adjusting the sulfur and selenium content—maximizing energy storage with higher sulfur content or enhancing power delivery and reducing charging time with increased selenium content.

Coherent will execute Phase 3 of the RESILIENCE program under a 12-month, $2.45 million contract with IARPA.