6K Energy Receives DLA Funding: Cathode Powders for 3D-Printed Energy Storage Move Closer

Additive manufacturing becomes particularly interesting for energy storage where geometry is more than packaging: printed current collectors, structured electrodes, or cell-integrated cooling channels benefit from reproducible powders and tightly controlled particle morphology. In this context, a grant from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to 6K Energy could be relevant. The 6K Inc. subsidiary is receiving US$1.9 million from the BATTNET program to develop and scale domestic production of NMC721 cathode powders in a single-crystal form.

The focus is SC NMC721—i.e., a nickel-rich NMC with a defined crystal structure without grain boundaries. 6K argues this can reduce intergranular cracking and limit reactivity with the electrolyte due to a lower effective surface area. For additive processes—such as 3D-printed electrode pastes or powder-based coatings—this is primarily a question of long-term stability and particle behavior in slurry or binder systems.

“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.”

The project runs for twelve months and includes scaled synthesis, optimization of post-processing, and validation in coin cells and full cells together with a U.S. cell manufacturer. As a target range, 6K cites a cell voltage window of 2.5 to 4.35 volts, which it says should be relevant for “all-U.S.” supply chains in 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.”

For 3D-printing users, the key question remains whether particle-size distribution, surface chemistry, and batch consistency can be controlled stably enough that printed electrode geometries are not only manufacturable, but also reliable over many cycles in operation.