Highlights

  • 1414 Degrees is advancing an AUD 1 million program to scale production of its SiNTL silicon-anode material.
  • Parallel development activities are planned at George Washington University in the United States and the company's Tonsley facility in South Australia.
  • The program aims to produce battery materials for evaluation in drone, aerospace and other specialised applications.
  • Commercial progress will depend on consistent material production, battery testing and successful partner qualification.

1414 Degrees (ASX:14D), an Australian energy technology company specialising in silicon-based thermal storage and advanced battery materials, is progressing its SiNTL silicon-anode technology towards commercial evaluation.

The company has outlined an AUD 1 million production program intended to increase the availability of SiNTL material for battery manufacturing and testing.

The development initiative builds on laboratory research conducted at George Washington University, where the technology was originally developed.

1414 Degrees holds an exclusive global licence to the patented SiNTL process, which produces aluminium-coated silicon nanoparticles designed for use in lithium-ion battery anodes.

The company is targeting applications in drones, uncrewed aerial vehicles, satellites and other specialised equipment where battery weight, energy storage capacity and operating duration are important considerations.

The production program represents a transition from laboratory material development towards manufacturing evaluation rather than the commencement of established commercial production.

Parallel Production Activities Planned in Australia and the US

The SiNTL program involves development activities at George Washington University and 1414 Degrees' Tonsley facility in Adelaide.

At George Washington University, the technical program focuses on improving nanoparticle formulation, material consistency, charging characteristics and production scalability.

The university team, led by Professor Michael Wagner, has previously conducted laboratory testing to evaluate SiNTL's electrochemical performance.

At Tonsley, 1414 Degrees (ASX:14D) is developing its internal capacity to handle and produce silicon-anode materials.

The Australian workstream is intended to strengthen manufacturing knowledge and establish repeatable processes for larger material batches.

For battery manufacturers, material consistency is important because changes in particle characteristics, coating quality and composition can affect cell performance.

The company is targeting the commencement of expanded production activities during the final quarter of CY2026, although delivery schedules remain dependent on equipment availability and technical progress.

SiNTL Technology Targets Improved Battery Capacity

Silicon has a substantially higher theoretical lithium storage capacity than graphite, the material commonly used in conventional lithium-ion battery anodes.

However, silicon experiences significant volume expansion during battery charging, which can contribute to structural degradation and reduced cycle life.

SiNTL technology is designed to address these challenges through a protective aluminium coating applied to silicon nanoparticles.

The manufacturing process uses a low-temperature synthesis method intended to improve particle stability and compatibility with conventional anode manufacturing techniques.

In March 2026, 1414 Degrees (ASX:14D) reported a laboratory-tested specific capacity of 530 milliampere-hours per gram (mAh/g), exceeding its earlier development target of 500mAh/g.

The company has subsequently targeted further improvements in capacity and cycling performance.

These laboratory results provide technical information about the anode material but do not establish equivalent improvements in complete commercial battery cells.

Full-cell performance will depend on additional factors, including battery chemistry, energy density, charging conditions, durability and manufacturing consistency.

Drone and Aerospace Partnerships Support Evaluation Pathway

1414 Degrees (ASX:14D) has established relationships with organisations interested in assessing SiNTL technology for specialised battery applications.

In June 2026, the company entered a battery evaluation agreement with Energia 2000, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer.

The agreement provides a framework for evaluating SiNTL-based battery technology across drone and uncrewed aerial vehicle applications.

The program is intended to assess technical performance before potential commercial arrangements are considered.

1414 Degrees has also announced collaborations involving European aerospace organisations to investigate potential satellite and spacecraft battery applications.

These evaluations could provide information about battery performance in environments where energy density, reliability and weight are important.

However, testing arrangements should not be interpreted as confirmed commercial supply contracts.

Manufacturing Qualification Remains a Critical Development Stage

As SiNTL progresses towards larger production batches, 1414 Degrees (ASX:14D) will need to demonstrate that its material can be incorporated into complete battery cells.

The qualification process involves evaluating electrode compatibility, charge-discharge behaviour, capacity retention and overall cell reliability.

Manufacturing scalability is another important requirement.

Although the SiNTL synthesis process is designed to operate at relatively low temperatures, commercial production will require consistent quality across larger material volumes.

The company intends to use the results of laboratory and manufacturing activities to support subsequent evaluation by prospective customers.

Potential commercial arrangements will depend on successful testing, qualification requirements, production economics and agreements with battery manufacturers.

Aurora Energy Precinct Remains Part of Broader Strategy

Alongside SiNTL development, 1414 Degrees (ASX:14D) continues progressing its Aurora Energy Precinct near Port Augusta in South Australia.

The project forms part of the company's broader activities involving energy storage, renewable energy infrastructure and industrial technology.

1414 Degrees is also developing SiBrick thermal storage and SiPHyR hydrogen-related technologies.

The company has explored the potential integration of carbon produced through SiPHyR with SiNTL silicon nanoparticles to develop advanced battery anode materials.

However, this integration remains a technology development opportunity rather than an established commercial production process.

Key Insights

1414 Degrees (ASX:14D) is advancing its SiNTL technology from laboratory research towards larger-scale material production and battery qualification.

The proposed AUD 1 million program is intended to strengthen manufacturing capabilities and support evaluation by drone and aerospace industry participants.

As of 12 October 2026, the company's development priorities include production consistency, complete battery-cell testing and the progression of existing evaluation arrangements.

Commercial outcomes remain dependent on successful technical validation, manufacturing scalability and future customer agreements.