alpha-En Corporation announced the commencement of a joint research program with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America and Princeton University. alpha-En Corporation announced the commencement of a joint research program with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America and Princeton University. This joint research program's investigation of alpha-En's pure lithium metal thin films in advanced battery systems will be conducted at Princeton University under the direction of Daniel Steingart, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. The purpose of this program is for all parties to work together using alpha-En's highly pure lithium metal Nano-rods to investigate the potential of certain next-generation battery technologies with the purpose of improving cell performance and battery production for electric vehicle and consumer product applications.