AnteoTech targets high-value medical device market with Wyon’s trial of Ultranode

Surface technology company AnteoTech, which was awarded a $4 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) last October, has announced that its high silicon anode technology will be trialled by Swiss battery manufacturer Wyon. 

In an ASX statement on Monday, AnteoTech said Wyon will evaluate Ultranode over the next six months to determine its suitability for incorporation “into a range of end products” and supporting integration into commercial scale production. 

Wyon is a maker of rechargeable miniature lithium-ion batteries used in various high-precision applications, including medical devices. 

“The potential integration of Ultranode technology into Wyon products commercially marks an important step forward for us in our next-generation high silicon anode market development, entering the high-value medical device battery market for the first time,” said Anteotech Managing Director and CEO Merrill Gray. 

“We are delighted to expand our long standing collaborative relationship with Wyon, whose customer base includes global technology leaders such as Cochlear Ltd, an Australian household name.” 

Successful evaluation would lead to the pair “seek[ing] to enter an arrangement” for commercial-scale production and explore further collaboration opportunities in Wyon products. 

The Brisbane-based company said that this development builds on a long-standing relationship with Wyon, with an agreement focussed on high silicon anode applications announced in March 2023.

AnteoTech announced the first commercial order of Ultranode in October last year, with the customer an un-named European electric vehicle manufacturer.  

It has previously described the product as containing 70 per cent silicon in place of graphite as the active material. The anodes make use of a proprietary binder named AnteoX.

Graphite has served as the main anode material for much of the early production phase of the lithium-ion battery chemistry, but EV developers are interested in the higher energy density offered by silicon anodes. High degradation rates have been a challenge to adopting such anodes.

Anteotech was awarded a $4 million grant last October from ARENA’s Advancing Renewables program. The grant supported electrode coating and testing equipment at its facility in Brisbane, aiming to accelerate commecialisation, with the project expected to be completed in late-2027. 

Picture: credit AnteoTech

Further reading

AnteoTech receives $213,000 order from Serum Institute of India

ARENA awards $4 million grant to AnteoTech to progress silicon anodes

AnteoTech battery tech headed for EV batteries

First commercial order for Ultranode battery anode