Overview
The availability of safe, environmentally friendly and low-cost lithium-ion batteries constitutes a key challenge for the electromobility and the use of renewable energies. However, lithium-ion batteries do not yet fully meet the requirements of users in terms of cost, security, and availability of materials.
The main objective of the project is to increase the reliability and security of these batteries along the complete line of development. Further objectives are described as follows:
• Boosting the environmental performance, operation, and security of supply by use of new safe and available electrode materials.
• Increased stability of the electrode/electrolyte interfaces.
• Development of new analytical methods for the materials and interfacial characterization and a security system through a customized operating strategy
To achieve these objectives, the following solution approaches are defined:
• Replacement of nickel-cobalt-based layer oxides by a list of available cathode materials
• Evaluation of organic materials as electrode material, binder and lightning arrester metal - and heavy metal-free alternative.
• Replacement of synthetic graphite by inexpensive graphite waste products and carbon composites.
• Development of a comprehensive understanding of the anode or cathode interfaces by means of working with model systems and new analytical methods,
• Optimization of interfacial stability through surface modification, electrolyte additives and/or thermally resistant coatings
• Development of methods for assessing the security of components and cells with the help of experiments and simulations
• Development of optimized operation strategies on the basis of a reliable diagnosis, verification of modelling through application-oriented research.