Cambridge EnerTech’s

Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Commercializing Ultra-High Specific-Energy Batteries with Low-Cost Raw Materials & Scalable Production

December 8, 2025 ALL TIMES PST

 

 

Lithium-sulfur batteries have high theoretical energy density and are showing significant promise as a next-generation energy-storage system. Cambridge EnerTech's Lithium-Sulfur Batteries symposium, part of AABC, will showcase the latest research and technological advances and discuss the key challenges facing the commercialization of lithium-sulfur batteries. Our international faculty of experts will present the most recent results, new materials, processes, and applications in the field. Don’t miss your opportunity to get the latest developments from the major global players developing lithium-sulfur batteries.

Monday, December 8

7:00 amRegistration and Morning Coffee

ADVANCEMENTS IN LITHIUM-SULFUR TECHNOLOGY

7:50 am

Organizer's Remarks

Ian Murray, Associate Conference Producer, Cambridge EnerTech

7:55 am

Chairperson's Remarks

Ratnakumar Bugga, PhD, Senior Fellow, Lyten

8:00 amPresentation to be Announced

8:30 amPresentation to be Announced

9:00 am

Integrating Material Design, in operando Characterization, and Electrochemical Study for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Vibha Kalra, PhD, Fred H. Rhodes Professor, Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University

I will present our group’s research on integrating material development, in-operando and postmortem characterization, and device testing (coin/pouch) to develop lithium-sulfur batteries. I will discuss representative projects on developing cathode, anode, and electrolyte chemistries to mitigate challenges such as the polysulfide shuttle, low S/Li2S conductivity, and lithium dendrites. Additionally, I will present our work on developing operando diagnostic tools for real-time monitoring during cycling to inform battery material design/engineering.

9:30 amNetworking Coffee Break

ADVANCEMENTS IN LITHIUM-SULFUR TECHNOLOGY [CONT.]

10:00 am

A Strategy for Building High-Cycle Life Lithium/Sulfur Batteries

Steven Visco, PhD, CEO & CTO, PolyPlus Battery

Global demand for Li-ion batteries is expected to soar to around 4.7 TWh by 2030. Replacing expensive metal oxides with earth-abundant sulfur cathodes has obvious appeal. This talk will outline a strategic approach for developing safe Li-ion/sulfur batteries capable of achieving high-cycle life. It will delve into the specific methodologies and material considerations crucial for enhancing the long-term stability and performance of Li/S cells.

10:30 am

Mechanistic Interactions in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Bairav S. Vishnugopi, Research Assistant Professor, Purdue University

This talk will provide an overview of the latest advancements in lithium-sulfur battery research, highlighting progress in addressing critical challenges.

11:00 am

Theion's Sulfur Crystal Battery: Game-Changing Scientific Results on Cell Level

Aamir I. Waidha, PhD, Principal Battery Scientist, R&D, Theion GmbH

This talk explains the advantage of monoclinic gamma crystalline sulfur in a Lithium Sulfur Battery. Such allotrope has the potential to catapult gravimetric energy density towards 1000 Wh/kg.Ttheion updates the latest developments on cell level, and explains the underlying scientific concept and the electrochemical interactions.

11:20 am

Developing a Novel and Sustainable Sulfur Cathode Active Material Made from Industrial Waste Byproducts from Concept to Pilot Scale Commercial Production

Qingliu Wu, Assistant Professor, Chemical & Paper Engineering, Western Michigan University

XBM and WMU developed CarbonX SulCAM, a patent-pending Sulfur Cathode Active Material, to deliver high capacity at a lower cost, reinforcing the U.S. battery supply chain. CarbonX utilizes abundant domestic byproducts like sulfur doped in a cryogel carbon host (CarbonX) made from paper/pulping waste (tannin/lignin), promoting a sustainable e-Mobility circular economy. This presentation outlines the technology's progression from initial lab validation at WMU to commercial pilot production at XBM, emphasizing the use of industrial byproducts and AI-driven manufacturing to meet performance targets for EV, aerospace, and stationary storage.

11:40 am

Mechanistic Insights into Lithium–Sulfur Battery Redox Bottlenecks for Improved Longevity

Golareh Jalilvand, PhD, Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina Columbia

This talk will highlight our group’s recent advances in identifying bottlenecks in the multistep redox reactions of lithium–sulfur batteries using advanced electrochemical techniques. The influence of materials chemistry and architecture, together with testing protocols, on reaction pathways, transport limitations, and overall cell stability is discussed, and mechanistic insights are provided to guide the rational design of more durable and high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries.

12:00 pmEnjoy Lunch on Your Own

THE PATH TO COMMERCIALIZATION

1:00 pm

Chairperson's Remarks

Ratnakumar Bugga, PhD, Senior Fellow, Lyten

1:05 pm

Lyten's Approach to the Commercialization of Lithium-Sulfur Technology

Arjun Mendiratta, PhD, Senior Director, Cell Engineering, Lyten Inc.

Lyten has been developing Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) battery technology since 2018 and, following the recent acquisition of the former Northvolt assets, has expanded into giga-scale cell production. Lyten’s Li-S architecture leverages Lyten 3D Graphene, a tunable, methane-derived carbon nanomaterial whose structure and chemistry can be precisely engineered to enhance sulfur utilization and energy density. The ability to tailor the structural and electrochemical properties of this material enables optimization of key cell-level parameters, including gravimetric and volumetric energy density. This presentation will discuss the influence of Lyten 3D Graphene tunability on Li-S cell performance, highlight current-generation drone cells now in commercial production, and review ongoing development for aerospace, automotive, and stationary storage applications. The broader implications of Li-S chemistry for enhancing supply chain resiliency and reducing dependency on critical minerals will also be addressed.

1:25 pm

Stable Li-S Batteries Using 3D Li Anodes and Sulfurized Carbon

Rodrigo Salvatierra, PhD, CSO, Zeta Energy

Zeta Energy's technology has effectively addressed the primary issues preventing the commercialization of lithium-sulfur (LiS) batteries: dendrite formation and sulfur loss due to the polysulfide shuttle. This presentation will offer a comprehensive insight into our advanced anode and cathode technologies, showing how their synergy results in high-performance cells that fully leverage the inherent benefits of low-cost, sustainable, and accessible energy storage solutions.

1:45 pm

Pieces of the Puzzle: A Complex Marriage between Li-S Technology, Performance, and Collaboration

Louis Adriaenssens, PhD, CTO, Gelion Technologies

Technological and commercial development in the lithium-sulfur space has accelerated significantly in the last two years. In this presentation, we present our contributions to building this momentum. We focus on: 1) the performance of our latest cathode technology, 2) the importance of partnership, and 3) the marriage of technology and partnership in delivering good cell-longevity and high-power—two of the hurdles that most intimidate sulfur battery technology.

2:05 pm

Navitas R&D: Lithium-Sulfur Program Progress and Strategic Direction

Jon Shan, PhD, Senior R&D Manager, Navitas Systems

We will present the R&D capabilities and ongoing projects at Navitas, with a focus on our Li–S battery program. We will outline our research and commercialization strategies, highlight key technical achievements and differentiate features of the program, and provide an outlook on future development directions.

2:30 pmNetworking Refreshment Break

3:00 pm

“What Valley?”: Low-Risk, High-Performance Li-S through Readily-Available Materials and Partnerships

Stephen E. Burkhardt, PhD, CTO, R&D, Conamix Inc.

Li-S batteries hold the promise of both high energy and low cost. However, achieving performance at scale often includes compromises on cost or energy density. Competition with incumbent Li-ion technologies makes scaling and commercialization even more challenging. Conamix will share prototype cell data for near-term applications. Partnerships and careful selection of the bill of materials delivers low cost, reduces scaling risk, and avoids supply chain limitations.

3:30 pm PANEL DISCUSSION:

Roadmap to 2030: Lithium-Sulfur Pathway to Commercialization

PANEL MODERATOR:

Ratnakumar Bugga, PhD, Senior Fellow, Lyten

This session will explore a clear pathway for bringing lithium-sulfur batteries to greater markets. Discussion will highlight recent technological breakthroughs, efforts to scale production, and explore how the use of abundant and low-cost sulfur is creating more sustainable and secure supply chains. We will focus on how key technical milestones in R&D, production, and commercialization can continue to be achieved along the road to widespread lithium-sulfur adoption.

PANELISTS:

Michael Liedtke, Chief Commercial Officer, Zeta Energy

Louis Adriaenssens, PhD, CTO, Gelion Technologies

Phillip Roberts, Co-Founder & Managing Director, XBM USA

Zach Favors, PhD, Vice President Battery R&D, Lyten Inc.

4:30 pmSelected Poster Presentations

5:30 pmClose of Symposium





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Lithium Battery Chemistry — Part 1
Lithium Battery Chemistry — Part 2