Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTSThe storage of electrical energy in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries covers a wide range of applications in mobile, stationary and portable systems. Electric mobility (cars, bicycles, local transport buses) in particular is a key pillar in reducing the consumption of fossil fuels in transport and improving air quality. Lithium-ion batteries are currently considered the best, but not the optimal, solution for many of the applications mentioned. There is room for improvement in terms of energy density, charging time and cost. That is why research and industry are working on more advanced battery technologies.
Conventional lithium-ion batteries are based on liquid electrolytes with organic solvents. In the event of damage, overcharging or overheating, the ignition temperature of the organic electrolyte can be exceeded, causing the battery to catch fire. Batteries based on a non-flammable solid electrolyte, known as solid-state batteries, are currently considered a promising development. In addition to increased operational safety, lithium solid-state batteries promise improvements in energy density and fast-charging capability, depending on the cell design.
Until now, the development of solid-state batteries has often focused on cell designs in which the solid electrolyte is sintered with the cathode. This means that conductive additives and binders are missing in the electrodes, which limits cell performance. In addition, the manufacturing processes used are usually slow and not scalable. In the current project, Fraunhofer IKTS is working with the University of Duisburg-Essen to develop a high-performance lithium solid-state battery with a new architecture whose electrodes can be manufactured on standard production equipment. The three different suspensions for the cathode, solid electrolyte and anode are to be applied directly on top of each other in a single step using a triple slot nozzle, so that only one drying process is necessary. NCM (LiNixCoyMnzO2) is used as the cathode material, which is particularly suitable for applications with high energy requirements. The anode is made of graphite. There are also plans to develop a hybrid polymer electrolyte with high conductivity, which can also be applied using a slot nozzle.
- Project: Development of an innovative manufacturing process for polymer-based solid electrolyte lithium-ion batteries – PoliBat
- Duration: November 2025 to August 2028
- Funding: IGF | DLR / IUTA
- Funding code (FKZ): 01IF24683N
- Project partner: University of Duisburg-Essen