Discovery to Impact at The University of Texas at Austin has invested $250,000 from its UT Seed Fund in Nascent Materials Inc. Nascent is using UT-patented technology from the Cockrell School of Engineering to commercialize a new way to process materials needed in next-generation batteries that is safer and more resilient than others in the market. Nascent's manufacturing technologies reduce dependence on imports, strengthening the U.S. battery materials supply chain.
Nascent's breakthrough improves the critical cathode materials needed in lithium-based batteries, while also leveraging the UT technology to explore additional pathways in development of next-generation cathode chemistries. In a lithium battery, the cathode is the positive electrode made up of various materials that with its negative electrode, or anode, enable the flow of an electric charge.
"UT's Discovery to Impact is committed to moving groundbreaking discoveries into the market to have lasting impact on the world," said Mark Arnold, assistant vice president for Discovery to Impact and managing director of Longhorn Ventures. "With the UT Seed Fund investment, Nascent Materials will advance technology that will reshape how next-generation lithium batteries are made, driving down costs, and offering a more reliable solution for AI data centers, defense and aviation, automotive, battery energy storage systems, and industrial markets."
Traditional production methods for lithium batteries come with major challenges, including limited domestic raw material supply from manufacturers, flammability risks, and energy-intensive synthesis processes. Nascent Materials has developed a unique thermo-fusion synthesis method that does not require the expensive precursor cathode active materials (pCAM) that are used in traditional cathode manufacturing processes. The result is safer cathode chemistries with superior material quality and process control that result in lower production costs and emissions.
"High-quality, reliable cathode materials are critical to cell manufacturing for batteries, and innovating the development of these materials is one of the highest-leverage ways to impact the battery value chain," said Chaitanya Sharma, founder and CEO of Nascent Materials. "With the generous UT Seed Fund investment, Nascent Materials will scale a domestically rooted alternative to China's battery supply chain, with a focus on scalable, cost-efficient and sustainable manufacturing."
