Gelion PLC ( AIM:GELN , OTC:GELNF , FRA:X0S ) shares jumped 21% to 16p on Monday after independent testing by the National Laboratory of the Rockies validated key performance characteristics of its next-generation battery technology.
The battery materials developer reported preliminary results showing that its Nano-Encapsulated Sulfur (NES) cells retained 92% of their reference capacity despite a 20-fold increase in cycling rate.
The findings strengthen the technical evidence behind Gelion's efforts to commercialise its sulfur-based cathode material for applications requiring high energy capacity and rapid power delivery.
The laboratory independently fabricated electrodes using Gelion's material, assembled coin cells and reproduced key electrochemical results previously observed in the company's own facilities.
The tests confirmed comparable voltage profiles, sulfur utilisation and capacity retention during cycling, demonstrating that the material's performance could be replicated outside Gelion's laboratories.
The results also complement earlier testing by QinetiQ, which demonstrated sustained high-power operation in independently assembled battery cells under conditions representative of drone cruising and vertical take-off and landing.
Gelion is working with the American laboratory under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement announced in June, which aims to advance its technology towards commercial qualification.
The next stage includes developing and testing larger pouch-cell prototypes, moving beyond initial material-level validation toward batteries suitable for practical applications.
The programme also aims to support eventual qualification for American government and defence procurement, alongside the development of domestic battery manufacturing capabilities.
The latest results follow two automotive developments in October, when Gelion announced a co-funded evaluation programme with a top-five global carmaker on 13 October and a separate material transfer agreement with a top-15 manufacturer on 6 October.
The company has also secured a development and scale-up agreement with the Japanese advanced materials group Mitsui Kinzoku, which includes £2 million in staged payments to advance its sulfur battery technology.
