Iontra and Lishen report stronger lithium-ion charging results

Iontra said testing on lithium-ion cells from Lishen showed faster charging, lower temperatures, and less lithium plating under its charge-control system. The results could matter for consumer electronics and other battery-heavy products that need safer, longer-lasting charging.

Why it matters: - Iontra’s testing points to a charging method that can improve speed, safety, and cycle life without forcing brands to trade one benefit for another. - The results matter for high-volume products such as smartphones, power banks, robot vacuums, e-bikes, and similar battery-powered devices. - Better charge control could help manufacturers extend battery life, reduce heat, and improve user experience.

What happened: - Iontra announced positive results from its Cell Catalog program using Iontra Charge Control on lithium-ion cells supplied by Tianjin Lishen Battery Joint-Stock Co., Ltd. - The cells tested were Lishen’s mass-produced pouch and cylindrical cells. - Lishen is one of China’s first and largest lithium-ion battery R&D and manufacturing companies. - Iontra said the work adds momentum to its Cell Catalog database and broader battery-optimization effort.

The details: - Iontra is comparing standard charging with its own charging profiles to identify data-backed charge settings for real-world products. - Early post-cycling analysis showed reduced lithium plating. - Iontra also reported less lithium inventory loss, lower swelling, lower peak charging temperatures, slower voltage rise, and improved capacity retention. - In recent testing on Lishen cells, Iontra observed up to 4°C lower peak charging temperatures at equivalent charge rates. - Iontra also reported faster charging to partial state-of-charge targets compared with standard charge profiles. - The company said the Cell Catalog program benchmarks commonly used lithium-ion cells and evaluates charge speed, cycle life, thermal behavior, and usable capacity. - Lishen is one of several top-20 cell manufacturers participating in the effort. - Iontra said the dataset includes cells commonly used by brands such as Apple, Samsung, Anker, Lenovo, TCL, Xiaomi, Bosch, and Motorola. - Jeff Granato, Iontra CEO, said the expanding Cell Catalog helps customers identify improvements for upcoming products and that the testing shows measurable gains in safety, charge speed, and cycle life. - Granato also said the Lishen cells help show how Iontra reduces damaging mechanisms like lithium plating while delivering faster, healthier charging. - Iontra said its approach uses electrodynamics-informed control to promote healthier charging, reduce stress on cells, and improve long-term performance.

Between the lines: - The announcement positions Iontra’s Cell Catalog as both a technical validation tool and a sales tool for OEMs. - The Lishen collaboration gives Iontra another reference point with a major cell supplier, which could help it build credibility with consumer electronics and battery partners. - The testing results suggest battery performance gains may come from charge-profile control rather than only from changes to cell chemistry.

What's next: - Iontra said it will continue expanding the Cell Catalog program. - The company plans to support OEMs and battery partners with data-driven charging optimization, reference profiles, engineering support, and sensing and charge-control solutions. - Iontra said the effort is aimed at next-generation products moving toward commercialization. - Iontra, founded in 2013, is a Colorado-based fabless semiconductor and software company with offices in Denver, Dallas, and Bengaluru. - Lishen is a global manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries for consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and energy storage.