Leon Merker

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Helmholtz-Institute Ulm

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About

Leon Merker is pioneering the automation of battery research, driving a paradigm shift from slow, manual experimentation to high-throughput, data-driven discovery. His key research areas center on robotic cell assembly, combinatorial electrolyte formulation, and the development of next-generation sodium-ion batteries. Merker’s major contribution is the creation of the first robotic battery assembly system for academia, which delivers superhuman reproducibility and complete data lineage tracking—a breakthrough detailed in his highly cited 2022 paper (45 citations). This system enables precise, accelerated testing, as shown in his 2024 work on optimizing Li-ion batteries by shifting focus from mass ratio to additive molecules per electrode area. Merker further demonstrates the power of automation in his 2023 study on sodium-ion batteries, where high-throughput synthesis, screen printing, and robotic assembly generate critical formation and cycling data. By merging robotics with combinatorial chemistry, Merker is not only accelerating the development of safer, more efficient batteries but also establishing a new standard for rigorous, reproducible energy storage research.