Operational since April 2025, the AMIE LabCom merges the renowned expertise of the Chemistry Laboratory (CNRS / ENS de Lyon / UCBL) with ITEN’s industrial know-how. Located at the ENS Lyon, the Chemistry Laboratory is recognized for its excellence, especially in the study and modeling of surfaces, interfaces, nanomaterials, as well as ionic liquids. ITEN is a pioneering industrial scale-up in the design and manufacture of all-solid ceramic batteries.

While ITEN batteries already stand out for their safety, fast charging, high energy and power densities and low environmental impact, the work of the AMIE LabCom will further enhance performance and durability by deeply investigating the physicochemical phenomena within the batteries.

The AMIE Joint Laboratory benefits from €363,000 in funding over 54 months from the ANR, allowing the addition of 3 PhD candidates and 2 postdoctoral researchers to the Chemistry Laboratory’s team in the short term.

Technological Innovation and Reduced Environmental Impact

AMIE's initial research will focus on three main topics:

• Developing new nanomaterial synthesis processes to further minimize environmental impact;
• Optimizing and creating new solid electrolytes to improve battery durability and expand their operating temperature range (especially at lower temperatures);
• Studying and modeling chemical and electrochemical reactions at battery interfaces to anticipate aging, boost efficiency, and double battery lifespan.

Vincent Cobée, CEO of ITEN : ”The creation of this joint lab between the world-renowned Chemistry Laboratory and ITEN, the originator of a unique solid-state battery technology, is a continuation and amplification of a fruitful collaboration initiated over a decade ago with CNRS Research Director Frédéric Chaput. This new lab will accelerate the development of our energy storage technology, enhance its durability, further reduce its environmental footprint, and sharpen our competitive edge. ITEN’s technology ranks among the most promising globally, and we intend to not only maintain but strengthen this lead. AMIE’s work will deepen our expertise, speed up our development, and strengthen our connection with future professionals trained at ENS de Lyon."

Stéphane Parola, VP Strategy at ENS de Lyon and former Director of the Chemistry Laboratory :"This joint lab with ITEN is the culmination of a 10-year collaboration on material design. Strengthening this partnership through AMIE LabCom opens highly strategic opportunities for the Chemistry Lab and its overseeing institutions. By promoting interdisciplinarity within the research teams, between materials chemistry and modeling, AMIE will generate fundamental knowledge about physicochemical phenomena occurring at the various interfaces in ITEN solid-state batteries. This is an exciting innovation challenge, bridging core expertise from basic research to real-world applications."

Mehdi Gmar, Deputy Director for Innovation at CNRS : "CNRS welcomes the creation of the AMIE LabCom, which formalizes a long-standing relationship between the Chemistry Laboratory and ITEN, an industrial start-up born from basic research. CNRS partners with companies like ITEN that invest in research to lead innovation and stay competitive. The joint laboratory model is an ideal framework for building sustainable public-private relationships."

Arnaud Torres, Advisor to the ANR Presidency : "ANR’s LabCom program aims to facilitate the creation of lasting partnerships between businesses and academic researchers, in the form of Joint Laboratories, to better address scientific challenges raised by the socioeconomic world. By connecting academic research and industrial innovation to investigate physicochemical mechanisms in depth, the AMIE LabCom will help improve the performance of ITEN’s high-energy-density solid-state microbatteries, leveraging innovative materials and optimized interfaces. We are proud to support this LabCom, which aligns with ANR’s broader mission to foster innovation."