RoCo® is a demonstrated leader in ionic liquid synthesis, custom materials design, and contract research and development. For more than a decade, battery and EV manufacturers, aerospace and defense contractors, specialty chemical companies, and leading research universities have partnered with RoCo® to design, synthesize, and scale the ionic liquid chemistries their next products depend on — including a NASA SBIR–funded collaboration with Faraday Technologies developing solutions for mining oxygen on the lunar surface.
If you need a partner who can take an ionic liquid project from molecular design through pre-production evaluation, you’re in the right place.
What is contract R&D at RoCo®
Contract R&D at RoCo® means we work as an extension of your team to solve a specific materials-science problem under a defined scope, timeline, and IP framework. Engagements typically include one or more of the following:
- Customer-specific solution development and implementation — translating a performance target (conductivity, viscosity, thermal stability, electrochemical window) into a deliverable ionic liquid or formulation.
- Intellectual property development and protection — joint invention, structured around an NDA and a pre-agreed IP allocation so you keep what matters to your business.
- Material design, synthesis, testing, and pre-production evaluation — full lifecycle, from gram-scale lab synthesis to characterization (GC, FTIR, DSC, TGA, rheology, viscosity, density) to multi-kilogram scale-up.
Our contract research services break into two engagement models: Research & Development Services (you fund the work) and Joint Research Development (we co-apply for government funding together).
Research & Development Services
Companies engage RoCo® when an in-house chemistry team doesn’t exist, is at capacity, or doesn’t have ionic-liquid expertise. We close that gap.
Typical R&D engagements include:
- Designing and synthesizing custom ionic liquids based on structure–property relationships and your application requirements (electrochemical window, melting point, hydrophobicity, viscosity, thermal stability).
- Custom material formulation, blending, and compounding — including ionic liquid electrolytes, gel polymer electrolytes, and ionic-liquid-modified polymers.
- Materials testing and performance evaluation for your specific application — battery cycling, thermal analysis, rheological characterization, gas chromatography, FTIR, and more. Full list on our Capabilities page.
- Pre-production scale-up from gram to kilogram to support pilot lines and customer qualification.
Who we work with
| Industry | Common R&D requests |
|---|---|
| Battery & EV manufacturers | Ionic liquid electrolytes for Li-ion, solid-state, and beyond-Li chemistries. See our battery materials catalog → |
| Aerospace & defense | High-thermal-stability fluids, propellant precursors, lunar/space-environment materials |
| Pharma & specialty chemicals | Custom anion/cation pairs for solvation, extraction, and green chemistry processes |
| Universities & research institutions | Joint proposals, custom standards, characterization support |
Ready to scope a project? Contact RoCo® to talk to our technical team — first conversations are free and we’ll tell you honestly whether ionic liquids are the right tool for your problem.
Joint Research Development (government-funded partnerships)
Small companies and universities partner with RoCo® on federally funded research programs — SBIR/STTR (NASA, DOE, DOD, NSF), university grants, and prime-contractor subcontracts. RoCo® acts as the materials-science specialist on your team.
A representative project: A NASA SBIR collaboration with Faraday Technologies developing ionic-liquid-enabled electrochemistry for in-situ oxygen production from lunar regolith — the kind of materials challenge where ionic liquids’ tunable properties create capabilities conventional solvents can’t match.
What we bring to a joint proposal:
- 10+ years of published, peer-reviewed ionic liquid research (see our Publications)
- A full materials-characterization suite (DSC, TGA, FTIR, GC, rheology, density, viscosity)
- Pilot-scale synthesis capacity
- Experience writing the technical sections of competitive federal proposals
Working on an SBIR Phase I/II, STTR, or university grant where ionic liquids are part of the story? Email info@roco.global — include the solicitation number and the proposal deadline.
Why partner with RoCo®?
- Specialist, not generalist. Ionic liquids and ionic-liquid-modified materials are what we do — not a side project. That focus is rare and it shortens your time to answer.
- End-to-end capability. Design, synthesis, characterization, formulation, scale-up — under one roof. See our full Capabilities list.
- Federal-program track record. Successful DOE, DoW, and NASA SBIR delivery, peer-reviewed publications, and active university collaborations.
- Catalog-ready chemistries. Many R&D engagements start with a stock ionic liquid or metal salt — we’ll often ship a starter set in days while we scope the bespoke work.
Frequently asked questions
What is contract R&D for ionic liquids? Contract R&D is a paid engagement in which RoCo®’s chemists design, synthesize, characterize, and scale ionic liquids — or ionic-liquid-modified materials — to meet a customer’s specific application requirements. Engagements typically run from a few weeks (feasibility studies) to multi-year (full development programs) under an NDA with pre-agreed IP terms.
What industries does RoCo® serve? RoCo® serves battery and EV manufacturers, aerospace and defense contractors, pharmaceutical and specialty chemical companies, and university research groups. Our most common applications are battery electrolytes, high-temperature fluids, green-chemistry solvents, and government-funded space and energy research.
Can RoCo® synthesize a custom ionic liquid? Yes. We design custom ionic liquids based on structure–property relationships, including target electrochemical window, melting point, viscosity, thermal stability, hydrophobicity, and ion conductivity. We synthesize at gram-to-kilogram scale and can scope larger production through our scale-up partners.
How is “Joint Research Development” different from contract R&D? In contract R&D, the customer funds the work and owns the deliverables. In Joint Research Development, RoCo® co-applies with the customer (often a small company or university) for federal grant funding — SBIR, STTR, NSF, DOE, NASA — and shares both the work and the IP per the program’s rules.
Does RoCo® sign NDAs before discussing a project? Yes. We sign a mutual NDA before any technical disclosure. Email info@roco.global to request our standard template, or send yours.
What’s the smallest engagement RoCo® will take? Short feasibility studies (typically 2–6 weeks) are a common starting point and let both sides assess fit before committing to a larger program.
Can RoCo® support a federal grant proposal on a tight deadline? Yes, within reason. The earlier you bring us in, the stronger the technical narrative — but we have written contributing sections of successful SBIR proposals on 2–3 week timelines.
Where is RoCo® located? RoCo® is based in the United States. Our R&D lab, synthesis facilities, and characterization suite are all in one location. Visits are welcome under NDA.
Start a project
Request a contract R&D consultation → Browse the ionic liquid catalog → Read our latest publications →
Or call 724-315-9170 to speak with a our team directly.