APPLES - Advanced, High Performance, Polymer Lithium Batteries for Electrochemical Storage
Overview
Background & policy context:
This project aims to the development at an initial industrial level of an advanced, lithium ion battery for efficient application in the sustainable vehicle market. The basic structure of this battery involves a lithium-metal (tin)-carbon, Sn-C, alloy anode, a lithium nickel manganese oxide, LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, cathode and a ceramic-added, gel-type membrane electrolyte. This battery is expected to meet the target of the topic that calls for innovative developments of lithium-based, automotive energy storage technologies improving energy density, cycle life, cost, sustainability and safety. To confirm this expectation, a strong European consortium exploiting the complementary experience of various interconnected unities, involving academic laboratories and industrial companies, has been established.
Objectives:
It is expected that these combined efforts will lead to the industrial production of a battery having an energy density of the order of 300 Wh/kg, a cost considerably lower than batteries already on the market, as well as having a higher environmental compatibility and having a highly reduced safety hazard. In synthesis, this project compares well with others in progress worldwide for the development of lithium batteries directed to an efficient application in the sustainable vehicle market.
Methodology:
The academic partners will address the work on the optimization of the basic, electrochemical properties of the electrode and electrolyte materials, while the industrial partners will focus on the determination of battery key aspects, such as:
i) the value of energy density under a large size capacity configuration,
ii) the definition of the safety by abuse test procedure protocols,
iii) the overall cost,
iv) the environmental sustainability and,
v) the recycling process.
The work will be conducted according to the following steps:
1 -Management: Set-up of an efficient management structure with clear rules for decision-making and administrative support on financial and administrative matters.
2 -Scientific coordination: Monitoring of the project progress compared with the planned activities.
3 -Optimization of electrode materials: Synthesis refinement of the electrode materials and the realization of optimized anode and cathode configuration.
4 -Optimization of electrolyte: Analysis of morphology, the molecular interactions, and the composition of the membrane and the electrolyte solution from the molecular scale and upward in order to improve performance and safety as well as to adapt the synthesis procedure for scaling-up.
5 -Scaling-up of materials preparation: Scaling-up of processes for the preparation of the key materials (cathode, anode, and electrolyte).
6 -Process development for preindustrial cell manufacturing: Development of electrode formulations and electrode manufacturing processes of new electrode materials, formulation and processing of cells for tests under EV/HEV application conditions and characterization of cell properties.
7 -Safety improvement: Development of a better material to remove unwanted gas formed during the normal cell operation to maintain the internal pressure of the devices under a controlled value, coherent with a flawless cell functioning.
8 -Test of performance and safety of project cells and batteries: Testing of cells in abused conditions (electrical, mechanical and thermal tests) and interpretation of test data and recommendation on safety and life time on cell level.
9 -Recycling of production waste and end-of-life Li-ion batteries: Recycling of production waste and end-of-life Li-ion batteries and implementation of eco-design procedures.
10 -Battery system integration: Definition of a manufacturing process f
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