NATEP helps power up novel battery cell technology

A breakthrough technology with the potential to put the UK at the forefront of the market for advanced battery cells would not be where it is today had it not been for NATEP support at a key stage in its development.

Integrals Power , a UK start-up working with an innovative concept that could disrupt the highly competitive lithium-ion battery industry, is moving swiftly toward commercialisation of its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode material.

Chief executive Behnam Hormozi , who set up the company in 2020 as a spin-off to university research, says NATEP’s match-funding of critical research and development (R&D) was important, but equally the programme’s mentoring and encouragement gave him the confidence and impetus to drive forward.?

NATEP supported Integrals Power in a one-year project called Advanced Battery Cells (ABC), which aims to develop a high-power and high capacity battery cell for civil aviation and UAT applications.?

This low-cost, environmentally friendly battery cell is based on Integrals Power's next-generation, functionalised LFP cathode material which the company says can achieve high discharge rates (C rates) of 50-60C.

Support to smaller companies

Hormozi says he approached NATEP after hearing about the programme through Innovate UK. “We realised it was supported by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and provided support to smaller companies, allowing them to develop and exploit technologies for a better and sustainable future.”

The company was at the point of starting scale-up, material development and testing in real life; meanwhile, NATEP’s Call for proposals was about to close.?

Luckily, the advice and help Hormozi got from one of NATEP’s technology managers, Luca Leone, enabled him “to submit our application in next to no time”.??

“Everything happened in a week. It was a very tight schedule. Luca’s feedback was amazing and we were lucky enough to secure the project.”

Hormozi says Integrals Power focuses on developing battery materials that improve on the current lithium-ion standard with next-generation lithium-ion (LiFePO4) and lithium metal batteries such as LFP, which yield higher energy density and longer cycle life.?

Its NATEP-supported research has wide implications beyond aerospace in areas including consumer electronics, grid storage and electric vehicles (EVs) where improved battery performance and safety is key to further ‘green’ advances.??

“Our state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly battery technology is extremely repeatable and scalable at a very low cost,” he says. “This development will redefine the standard for battery production and performance.”

Invitation to Boeing forum

Since May 2021, when ABC started, Hormozi and his team of four have received further NATEP help in project delivery and dissemination.

A major breakthrough came when Integrals Power was selected as one of the NATEP projects to attend the Boeing Innovation Forum in October 2021. Says Hormozi: “I chatted with the head of technology development in Boeing. They could potentially consider ways to exploit our battery technology in the aviation sector.”

Shortly after, the company secured an exhibition pod in the UK’s Advanced Engineering show following NATEP encouragement.?“We were one of 10 lucky start-ups selected. It’s an amazing opportunity for us to demonstrate our platform, where we come from, where we started,” says Hormozi.

“NATEP provides opportunities for companies like us to get a foot in the door, confident that our technologies can add value and benefit the UK economy. I can’t think of any better praise.”

Based on Integrals Power’s successful progress in its NATEP project, it has secured other UK government-funded projects to a total value of ￡1.6m which are expected to commence upon the completion of ABC project. The follow-on projects will push the technology to a higher TRL, focus on a small-scale production line and further scale-up of battery materials.?