Pulsenics this week announced today an agreement for a collaborative project with the National Research Council of Canada’s Critical Battery Materials Initiative.
The Toronto-based developer of electrochemical diagnostic equipment says its solution will be integrated into the NRC’s Battery Materials Acceleration Platform, a self-driving lab that uses artificial intelligence AI and robotics to accelerate the discovery of new battery materials that are safer and perform better.
“The NRC’s Critical Battery Materials Initiative aims to connect our country’s mineral and energy technology industries with automated, AI-enabled platforms that can discover new critical battery materials and critical mineral conversion processes faster than ever before,” explains Zoya Sadighi, the NRC’s project lead. “Collaborating with Canadian companies allows us to support growth in the Canadian technology ecosystem on the cutting edge of the energy industry.”
Pulsenics uses electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to non-invasively scan batteries that contain experimental cathode formulations.
The integration into BattMAP will be tested as a proof of concept to establish the technological foundation for future deployments in industrial settings.
AI models can use collected data to predict lifetime performance of batteries and select promising formulas.
“Automated laboratories like the NRC’s BattMAP are the future of industrial research,” says Pulsenics cofounder Mariam Awara. “We’re proud to be a key enabler in helping the NRC realize its vision for the self-driving lab and high-throughput experimentation.”
“Together, we can find new battery chemistries that create jobs right here in Canada,” Awara stated.
Earlier this year, Pulsenics launched AccelaGrade, a quality control solution for lithium-ion battery re-manufacturers.
The technology from the Toronto cleantech startup analyzes cell state of health up to 19 times faster than traditional cyclers, marking a step forward in scaling battery refurbishment across Canada and beyond.
Remanufacturing includes disassembling, testing, and refurbishing used lithium-ion batteries to keep them safely operating longer.
A thriving remanufacturing sector will reduce costs for battery manufacturers and fleet operators while keeping batteries out of landfills, according to Awara.
The COO sees “a tremendous societal opportunity to keep batteries in the field for as long as possible.”
“Extending the service lifetime of batteries is good business,” Awara remarked in February, “and it’s the right thing to do.”