DOE National Lab Battery Capabilities

Ames National Laboratory

Materials and process scale-up, electrode synthesis, and electrochemical processing with strong crosscutting infrastructure.

Capabilities

Flow Battery

Materials and process scale-up for flow battery components.
Cathode and anode synthesis.
Cell and component manufacturing.

Crosscutting

Materials and process scale-up for energy storage materials.
Electrode synthesis and cell/component manufacturing.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

DC and pulsed power supplies, potentiostats, electrochemical workstations.
Electrochemical surface finishing (electroplating/electropolishing).
Acoustic mixers; mills for slurry and powder preparation.
Heat-element, environmental, and microwave furnaces.
Particle size and surface area analyzers; NMR; electron microscopes.
Solar simulators and concentrated light sources.
High-purity alloy and powder synthesis/processing tools.

Facilities

Electrochemical working stations and materials synthesis labs.
Sensitive Instrument Facility (SIF).
NMR laboratory.

Argonne National Laboratory

Broad solid-state and flow battery development, from synthesis and roll-to-roll processing to multi-scale modeling and analysis.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

SSE and cathode material synthesis and scale-up (oxides, sulfides, halides, polymers/composites).
SSE membranes and interface layers; cathode laminate processing (including roll-to-roll).
Cell prototyping with Li metal, hybrid, and all-solid-state architectures.
Electrochemical, analytical, structural, and compositional characterization (ex situ, in situ, operando).

Flow Battery

Large-volume synthesis of redox-active molecules.
Membrane manufacturing and functional coatings (roll-to-roll).
Compositional, morphological, degradation, and mechanical analysis.

Crosscutting

Technoeconomic analysis (BatPaC), life-cycle analysis (GREET), recycling (EverBatt/EverGrid).
Supply chain and process modeling (GcMat, IMPACT).
Synthesis modeling (co-precipitation, sintering, densification).
Performance modeling linking composition/morphology to life.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Flame spray pyrolysis, dry and solution synthesis for SSEs.
Co-precipitation reactors, milling (planetary, roller, cryo, jet bead).
Wet deposition, slot-die, rotary screen and flexographic roll-to-roll coaters.
Electrodeposition of Li metal; electrospinning and electro-spraying systems.
Roll-to-roll drying (UV/IR/photonic) and advanced powder coatings (ALD/MLD).
Multiple cell formats (pouch, 18650, coin, custom).

Facilities

Representative facilities (links are placeholders; update as needed):

Cell Analysis, Modeling, and Prototyping (CAMP) Facility.
Electrochemical Analysis and Diagnostics Laboratory (EADL).
Post-Test Facility; Electrochemical Discovery Laboratory (EDL).
Materials Engineering Research Facility (MERF); ReCell Center.
Advanced Photon Source (APS); Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM).
Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF).

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Advanced operando X-ray and microscopy capabilities for solid-state and flow battery interfaces and components.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

Electrochemical testing and analysis of solid-state cells.
In situ/operando oxidation state and structure tracking.
Surface and interfacial analysis in inert environments.
Advanced electron microscopy and tomography.

Flow Battery

In situ/operando oxidation-state tracking in flow systems.
Electrochemical testing and analysis of flow cells.
Anolyte/catholyte quantitative analysis.
Current collector and separator characterization.

Equipment & Facilities

Detailed equipment lists are typically tied to specific beamlines and user facilities; refer to Brookhaven’s battery and synchrotron program pages for up-to-date instrumentation.

Idaho National Laboratory

Battery testing, mechanical verification, solid-state manufacturing, and multi-scale modeling for performance and failure analysis.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

Battery testing from 0–1000 V and 0–440 kW.
Mechanical performance verification and validation.
Electrode and electrolyte scale-up and cell/component manufacturing.
Electric-field sintering science and system optimization.

Flow Battery

Membrane scale-up for flow batteries.

Crosscutting

DFT and ReaxFF MD modeling for materials.
Advanced electrolyte modeling (AEM) for optimization.
Machine learning and physics-based failure mode identification.
Material development for advanced energy storage.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Multi-axis vibration stage for mechanical characterization.
Roll-to-roll electric-field-assisted sintering line.
3D printing of electrolyte materials.
Tape casting for electrodes/electrolytes (>100 cm²).
Gloveboxes and pouch cell scale-up capability.
Optical and electron microscopy; positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy.
Nano-X-ray CT and neutron CT.

Facilities

Electrochemical Processing & Electrocatalysis Lab.
Electric Field Assisted Sintering Facility.
Battery Test Center, Energy Storage Materials Lab.
Non-destructive Battery Evaluation Lab.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Computational design (Materials Project, A-Lab) plus advanced ceramics processing, cell fabrication, and multi-scale characterization for both solid-state and flow systems.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

Computational screening (Materials Project) and autonomous synthesis (A-Lab).
Ceramics processing, cathode design, and cell/component fabrication.
LLZO/halide cells with thin electrolytes (<50 μm) and thick porous scaffolds.
Broad synthesis methods, polymer composites, and electrode design.
Battery testing and characterization (SEM, spectroscopy, XRD, thermal analyses).

Flow Battery

Computational design and A-Lab support for electrolyte and materials discovery.
Membrane and composite electrode fabrication and stack assembly.
Separator/membrane particle and slurry characterization.
Cell testing (1–50 cm², 100 fA–200 A) with UV/Vis SOC tracking.
Multi-scale modeling of flow-by/flow-through systems.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Tape casters (bench, mini glovebox, and 1.5 m pilot lines).
Calendering, dilatometers, slurry casting robot (with imaging).
Slot-die coaters, furnaces, mills, presses, laser cutting.
Vacuum infiltration, cyclers and potentiostats (EIS to 7 MHz).
Mixers, particle size/BET, TGA/DSC, FT-IR/Raman, SEM/EDS, gloveboxes.
XRD (capillary, hot stage) and Schlenk lines.

Crosscutting Facilities

Advanced Light Source (ALS) – tomography, XRF, microdiffraction, soft XAS.
Molecular Foundry – nanoscience and electron microscopy.
FLEXLab/FLEXGRID – building/DER testbeds with storage.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Powder and ceramic processing, multi-scale modeling, and advanced manufacturing support for solid-state batteries and related technologies.

Capabilities

Crosscutting

Powder and ceramic processing for energy storage materials.
Multi-scale modeling supported by high-performance computing (Livermore Computing).

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Roll-to-roll coaters in gloveboxes.
Potentiostats with EIS; battery cyclers; environmental chambers.
Advanced characterization (XRD, SEM/TEM, XPS to glovebox, ToF-SIMS).

Facilities

Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory (AML).
Livermore Computing (HPC clusters such as Sierra, Lassen, Corona).
Visualization clusters and HPC tool environment.

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Flow battery testing, membrane evaluation, and air-sensitive chemistry handling, with planned roll-to-roll capabilities.

Capabilities

Flow Battery

Flow battery testing across aqueous and non-aqueous systems.
Membrane/separator evaluation and failure analysis.
Electrolyte synthesis and manufacturing.
Expertise in air-sensitive chemistry for energy storage.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Multichannel battery cyclers and high-current (≈200 A) potentiostats.
Multiple potentiostat/bipotentiostat systems.
Gloveboxes for air-sensitive battery chemistries.
Multiple test stands for both aqueous and non-aqueous flow cell testing.

Facilities

Planned roll-to-roll casting/coating unit for membranes and electrodes.
X-ray instruments (XRD, XRF) and optical/SEM microscopes.
Additional characterization: contact angle, porosimetry, UV/Vis, GC-MS, LC-MS, NMR.
Micro-CT for electrode characterization.

National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL)

Electrochemical testing, multi-physics modeling, and technoeconomic analysis, with strong experience in solid oxide systems and high-temperature processing.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

Electrochemical testing and characterization.
Multi-scale, multiphysics electrochemical performance modeling.
Nanoparticle synthesis and materials evolution measurement/modeling.
Materials structure/function evaluation, including analytical microscopy and digital reconstructions.

Flow Battery

Modeling and computational analysis, especially electrodynamics and fluid flow.

Crosscutting

Technoeconomic analysis for advanced energy storage.
Multiphysics electrochemical performance modeling.
Flagship expertise in solid oxide fuel and electrolysis cells.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

System testing equipment including facility grid tie-in.
Multichannel potentiostats and frequency response analyzers.
Potentiostat with 100 A power booster.
Tape caster, spin coater, screen printer, and ultrasonic spray coater.
Sputtering and ALD chambers for thin films and powder coatings.
High-temperature furnaces for synthesis and thermal processing.
SEM, TEM, XPS, and XRD for materials characterization.

Facilities

Solid oxide cell test facilities that can be repurposed for battery testing.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Advanced processing and in situ characterization for sulfide/halide/polymer solid electrolytes and redox flow systems, plus system-level modeling and testing.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

Novel material processing for sulfide, halide, and polymer electrolytes.
Large-area full-cell fabrication using slurry casting and device testing.
In situ methods to study chemical and mechanical changes.

Flow Battery

Rapid evaluation of novel electrolyte solutions.
Design and fabrication of high-performance/low-cost RFB cells and stacks.
Balance-of-plant design and prototype fabrication/testing.

Crosscutting

Extensive electrochemical modeling for Li-ion, flow, and fuel cell systems.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Gloveboxes dedicated to sulfide solid electrolytes and lithium metal anodes.
Casting and calendering equipment for solid electrolytes.
Lithium vacuum deposition chamber; presses and custom fixtures for solid-state testing.
Flow loops for small redox flow battery testing (aqueous and organic).
SLA 3D printer, CNC, polishing wheel, and benchtop mills for stack prototypes.

Crosscutting Facilities

In situ/XPS, AFM transport imaging, nano-indentation, nano-CT, X-ray absorption tools.
High-throughput laser processing for novel 3D architectures.
Large environmental chambers and isothermal calorimeters for thermal testing.
Solid-state device fabrication labs and RFB testing labs.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)

Manufacturing-focused solid-state and flow battery capabilities, including roll-to-roll coating, sintering, and additive manufacturing.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

Sintering simulation and non-destructive evaluation for quality.
Raw materials and slurry dispersion; electrode engineering.
Polymer/ceramic membranes and composite cathodes.
Lithium anode lamination and deposition; in situ polymerization/crosslinking.
In situ characterization and QA; adhesion and mechanical expertise.
High-throughput, large-scale additive manufacturing.
Carbon fiber bundle fabrication and roll-to-roll plasma surface treatment.

Flow Battery

Membrane, electrode, and cell testing/characterization.
Additive manufacturing for new flow architectures.
Carbon fiber fabrication and plasma treatment.

Crosscutting

Roll-to-roll coating (single/double/multilayer) and electrode architecture manufacturing.
Advanced sintering and in-operando detection during synthesis/sintering.
Dry rooms and development of new feedstocks and processes.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Slot-die coaters, tape casting, screen printing, plasma deposition.
Fast sintering tools, Li deposition systems, interface engineering lines.
R2R slot-die/calendering/pressing with UV and e-beam curing.
Pouch cell line up to ~5 Ah; XRD/XPS/FIB-SEM operando cells.

Facilities

Battery Manufacturing Facility (BMF) and Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF).
Center for Nanophase Materials Science (CNMS).
Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and Carbon Fiber Technology Facility (CFTF).
Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF).
Energy Storage and Conversion Manufacturing & Energy Storage Groups.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

High-conductivity solid electrolytes, advanced roll-to-roll manufacturing, and leading flow battery testbeds with integrated ML and operando tools.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

High-conductivity SSE synthesis (up to ~200 g/batch).
Dry processing of membranes and electrodes.
Pouch, cylindrical, and prismatic cell prototyping.

Flow Battery

High-throughput robotic electrolyte formulation and testing.
Flow battery testing from single cells up to ~100 kW / 400 kWh stacks.
RFB prototyping (electrolyte production, CFD flow fields, parts manufacturing).
ML models for RFB performance prediction.

Crosscutting

Operando characterization tools across scales.
ML models for molecular/electrolyte prediction and literature mining.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Advanced extrusion and roll-to-roll manufacturing tools.
Diagnostics from materials to cell (PFIB/SEM, Cryo-TEM, Micro-CT, mechanical tests).
Two “Big Kahuna” robotic platforms with EIS/CV/HPLC-MS for autonomous testing.
>20 flow battery stations (up to 100 kW/400 kWh) with potentiostats and testers.
NMR, EPR, Raman, ICP, XPS, SIMS, and other advanced characterization tools.

Facilities

Advanced Battery Facility (pouch cell line and dry room).
Advanced flow battery laboratories.
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL).
Supercomputing clusters and HPC resources for ML and simulation.

Sandia National Laboratories

Comprehensive materials, electrochemical, and abuse testing capabilities for solid-state and flow batteries, with strong modeling and analytics.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

Synthesis and characterization of inorganic, polymer, and quasi-solid SSEs.
Evaluation across cell sizes, including ionogels and garnet/perovskite/polymer systems.

Flow Battery

Synthesis and characterization of active species and membranes.
Assembly and testing in static and flowing configurations.

Crosscutting

Extensive materials and chemical characterization (SEM/TEM/AC-STEM/cryo-TEM, PFIB, AFM, XRD, GC, etc.).
Electrochemical characterization (CV, GITT, EIS, cycling, temperature).
Destructive physical analysis; CT scanning; lab and meso-scale testing.
Battery integration and power electronics; thermal runaway and safety analysis tools.
Energy storage analytics (QuESt, MDT).

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Lab-scale solid-state battery assembly and testing (air-free/dry-room).
Hydraulic and electromechanical load frames; custom pressure testers.
Flow battery test cells, gas analysis, and membrane conductivity tools.
3D printing for custom flow fields.
Multi-channel testers, calorimeters, and advanced synthesis equipment.

Facilities

Large DOE battery prototyping and manufacturing facility (~80k sq ft; 10k sq ft dry room).
BATLaB abuse testing facilities, battery test facilities, and burn site.
Energy Storage Test Pad and Battery Energy Storage Test Lab.
Multiple power electronics labs and cycling labs.

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL)

Crosscutting electrochemical processing and characterization tools for electrode and materials development.

Capabilities

Crosscutting

Electrochemical surface finishing (electroplating and electropolishing).
Spray deposition and tape casting for porous electrode fabrication.
Slurry preparation and post-processing for electrodes.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Multichannel potentiostats and frequency analyzers.
Bipotentiostats and high-current potentiostats.
Automatic ultrasonic spray coaters; speed mixers and homogenizers.
Various mills for slurry preparation; furnaces for electrode processing.
Laser confocal microscopes, surface area analyzers, electron microscopes.

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Large-format cell fabrication and advanced operando X-ray/synchrotron diagnostics for solid-state and flow batteries, plus battery informatics and TEA.

Capabilities

Solid-State Battery

Pouch-cell fabrication and electrode processing.
Synthesis and processing of lithium-based solid electrolytes and cathodes.
Operando and ex situ synchrotron X-ray diagnostics for large-format batteries.
Scanning probe and cryo-electron microscopy of materials and interphases.

Flow Battery

Accelerated testing of flow cells.
Failure mode analysis using synchrotron imaging and spectroscopy.

Crosscutting

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and high-precision coulometry.
Technoeconomic analysis of battery material manufacturing and LDES chemistries.
Battery informatics lab for large-format cell testing, data ingestion, and ML analytics.

Equipment & Facilities

Key Equipment

Large co-precipitation reactors for cathode material scale-up.
High-temperature hot-press and sintering tools.
~600 battery cell cyclers and multiple environmental chambers.
High-precision coulometry and EIS setups.
Thin-film printing web compatible with beamlines (slot-die to blade coating).
Single-layer laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) system for metal AM characterization.
Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and operando IR spectroscopy setups.

Facilities

Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL).
SLAC/Stanford Cryo-EM Center (S2C2).
Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS).