Energy.gov

Liquid spray, generated by pressurized gas or high-frequency vibrations, typically results in up to 50 percent material waste, inconsistent droplet size, and physical limitations on minimum droplet size. To overcome these limitations, Mesdi’s equipment uses electricity to generate droplets that are an order of magnitude smaller and very uniform in size with zero waste by harnessing a technique known as electrospray.

The Mesdi Systems team consists of the world leaders in multiplexed electrospray technology from the Droplet and Energy Lab at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Their goal is pioneering wide-area electrospray as the new standard in industrial manufacturing systems for coating and powder synthesis for a variety of important energy, electronic, and medical materials requiring high precision. For instance, providing chemical companies with tools to synthesize high-quality lithium ion electrode powders.

Mesdi Systems intends to initially focus on the lithium-ion battery industry, specifically the large-format batteries used in electric vehicles and grid energy storage. The manufacturers will see unmatched quality control with the Mesdi System equipment for coating electrode slurries onto foil current collectors. After success in the lithium-ion battery market they intend to expand into the manufacturing processes of solar cells, fuel cells, and other high precision devices.

Founded in March 2011, Mesdi Systems is a spin-out from UCF as a product of the Energy Department-sponsored Megawatt Ventures Competition. Awarded a $10,000 grant and given six months to develop a prototype, they presented their idea at the NEBPC finals in October 2011. Their system is currently being implemented in a UCF lab to manufacture next-generation coatings for lithium ion batteries and solar cells. They are in the fundraising stage, which will allow them to launch a facility, hire a full-time CEO, complete development of a commercial-grade system, and garner their first customers.