Battery production: BFH involved in major EU research project

Lithium-ion battery cells with conventional active materials such as graphite and lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt oxides are reaching their limits in terms of energy density. The use of lithium in metallic form can significantly increase the energy density. In addition, the liquid electrolyte in conventional lithium-ion batteries is becoming a safety hazard due to the demand for faster charging. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop innovative and scalable manufacturing technologies for the use of safe solid-state electrolytes to enable the use of high energy density lithium metal batteries.

Sensors developed by researchers at BFH

This is the goal of the SOLiD project. Within the next four years, the project team plans to develop on a pilot scale a sustainable, cost-effective manufacturing process for a safe and easily recyclable solid-state lithium metal battery with a high energy density. The project involves 14 partners from nine different countries. Together, they cover the entire battery manufacturing value chain. The Institute for Intelligent Industrial Systems I3S of Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH is also involved in the project, which is supported by the Horizon Europe research and innovation funding programme and the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI). The BFH researchers are in charge of developing sensors that can measure and test certain values during battery production. Before the sensors are taken to Finland, where the pilot plant will be set up, the BFH researchers can test their developments at their own pilot plant for the production of batteries in Burgdorf.

^{The project is supported by the Horizon Europe research and innovation funding programme and the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI) under contract numbers 22.00179 and 22.00246.}