Critical Resources Ltd (ASX:CRR, FRA:9S70) has started a structured, solid-state lithium-ion battery evaluation program in the United States, taking it a step beyond early-stage optioning and into laboratory-based validation of next-generation battery materials.
The six-month program is being conducted with the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (SDM) under the National Science Foundation-supported Centre for Solid-State Electric Power Storage (CEPS), giving the company access to advanced research infrastructure typically unavailable to early-stage industry participants.
The work follows CRR’s exclusive option agreement with SDM, announced in November 2025, and is designed to generate independent, application-relevant datasets to inform potential future prototype battery development.
Managing director Tim Wither said the program would help clarify which solid-state technologies deliver the strongest performance and scalability while reducing technical risk through independent validation.
"Commencing this evaluation program is a significant step in positioning Critical Resources within the emerging solid‑state battery landscape. Our partnership with SDM and the CEPS network gives us direct access to world‑class analytical capability and scientific leadership, allowing us to validate performance and assess next‑generation materials in a way that dramatically reduces technical risk and accelerates our development pathway. Importantly, it ensures we are developing our understanding inside a coordinated US innovation ecosystem rather than in isolation — a major strategic advantage at this stage of the industry’s evolution.
"This work establishes independent data, early insight into development pathways, and a clearer view of where the strongest opportunities lie across solid‑state electrolytes, interfaces and cathode technologies. By connecting this US‑based technical work with our upstream lithium position, we are building a balanced, scalable strategy that enhances our optionality across partnerships, IP, future licensing and downstream technology development.
"This program is designed to give the company clarity on which technologies work, where the advantages lie, and how we can position ourselves across the next phase of the energy storage landscape."
Focus on safer, higher-performance battery systems
Global battery markets are increasingly shifting toward solid-state technology as end users look for safer, higher-performing energy storage that can operate reliably in harsher conditions. Compared with conventional liquid-electrolyte lithium-ion batteries, solid-state systems are designed to provide:
- Non-flammable electrolytes, improving safety.
- Higher energy density and longer cycle life, supporting stronger performance and durability.
- Wider operating temperature ranges, including suitability for higher-temperature settings such as data centres, defence and other high-reliability applications.
Amorphous solid-state electrolyte workstream
One arm of the program is the Amorphous, Sulphur-Free Solid-State Electrolytes (ASE) project, which is assessing a new class of solid electrolytes produced via a scalable manufacturing process.
Unlike crystalline solid electrolytes, which rely on rigid atomic lattices that can limit ion mobility and lead to interface instability, amorphous electrolytes lack a fixed structure. This is expected to enable more efficient lithium-ion transport and more stable contact with lithium metal anodes.
Amorphous, sulphur-free solid-state electrolytes support:
- More stable lithium-metal interfaces, reducing dendrite risk – improving safety.
- Higher ion conductivity and improved power capability – improving performance.
- Enhanced safety and mechanical durability – improving reliability.
Over the six-month evaluation period, the ASE project will generate data on ionic conductivity, interface behaviour, mechanical stability and manufacturability, providing CRR with early insight into one of the more commercially promising solid-state electrolyte pathways.
Solvent-free cathode manufacturing under evaluation
Running in parallel is the Dry Supersonic Deposition (DSD) project, which is assessing a solvent-free, low-temperature manufacturing method for solid-state battery components.
The DSD process uses supersonic particle acceleration to deposit dense, uniform cathode and electrolyte layers directly onto substrates, eliminating toxic solvents, long drying cycles and high-temperature furnace steps.
Early work is focused on evaluating how lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium manganese oxide (LMO) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cathode materials respond to the deposition process, including layer adhesion, structural integrity and electrochemical performance.
Deliverables from the DSD project are expected to help determine which manufacturing pathways offer the strongest technical and commercial potential for future solid-state cell architectures.
IP protection and next steps
All technical work is being conducted within the CEPS framework, with two separate 12-month provisional US patent applications already filed covering the ASE and DSD projects.
CRR will pay a total of US$100,000 over six months for the two evaluation programs. Near-term priorities include refining electrolyte formulations, expanding electrochemical datasets and progressing toward early prototype solid-state cell configurations, without implying commercial-scale manufacturing at this stage.