6K Energy, a division of 6K Inc, announced that it has been awarded a $1.9 million research and development grant under the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency’s (DLA) Battery Network (BATTNET) Program III. The grant will support the domestic and sustainable production of critical lithium-ion battery materials through the development and scale-up of advanced single-crystal (SC) NMC721 cathode powders using 6K Energy’s UniMelt® microwave plasma process.
Over the 12-month program, 6K Energy will concentrate on scaled synthesis, post-processing optimization, and performance validation of SC NMC721. The work will include coin-cell and full-cell testing in collaboration with a U.S.-based lithium-ion cell manufacturer. SC NMC721 is designed for the “All-US” cell voltage range of 2.5–4.35 V and meets strict defense-related performance standards.
“We are excited about this program on many fronts,” said Dr. Saurabh Ullal, CEO of 6K Inc. and President of 6K Energy. “This award recognizes the capabilities of our UniMelt platform and validates our ability to produce NMC721 domestically and sustainably. We appreciate the confidence that the DLA and the BATTNET program have placed in 6K Energy, and we believe this effort will accelerate the delivery of high-performance NMC721 materials critical to our nation’s defense and energy security.”
BATTNET, part of the Defense Operational Energy Program managed under the Defense Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program, aims to improve battery logistics and performance by advancing manufacturing technologies through industry partnerships. The program focuses on strengthening the domestic supply chain, enhancing safety and shelf life, reducing premature disposal, and increasing battery availability for defense applications.
“Our single-crystal NMC811 and other high-nickel NMC materials have been sampled widely by OEMs and cell manufacturers with outstanding results,” said Dr. Richard Holman, CTO of 6K Energy. “This BATTNET award gives us the opportunity to push the boundaries for NMC721 and again demonstrate that our UniMelt technology can deliver highly sought-after, high-quality battery materials at scale right here in the United States.”
SC NMC721 offers key advantages over polycrystalline alternatives, including the elimination of intergranular cracking and reduced electrolyte reactivity, due to its lack of grain boundaries and inherently lower surface area. Traditional co-precipitation methods for SC NMC721 often require long calcination times, flux additives, intensive post-processing, and generate substantial waste challenges the UniMelt process is uniquely equipped to address.
6K Energy’s UniMelt system is the world’s only production-scale microwave plasma platform capable of manufacturing advanced battery materials efficiently and sustainably. A Life Cycle Assessment conducted with Minviro, Ltd., indicates that the UniMelt approach can reduce energy consumption by up to 50% compared with conventional NMC production. Combined with potential cost reductions of up to 50%, the platform offers a pathway to low-cost, environmentally responsible cathode active material (CAM) production at scale.
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