Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS
The R2R pilot plant enables the continuous electrochemical metallization of thin metal foils for applications in energy storage, electronics, and functional surfaces. Using the roll-to-roll process, metal foils 50 to 100 mm wide and 10 µm thick can be coated with defined metal layers. Typical metals used in surface engineering (silver, gold, tin, cobalt, nickel, etc.) with typical layer thicknesses (0.2–5 µm) can be deposited.
The facility addresses future requirements of modern battery systems, such as anode-free lithium-metal batteries and solid-state batteries. Lithiophilic silver surfaces can specifically influence lithium nucleation, promote homogeneous lithium coating, and improve interfacial stability. Furthermore, there are plans to convert the system to non-aqueous electrolytes under inert gas conditions in the future, in order to adapt this pilot plant for lithium deposition.
In addition to energy storage, the scalable process opens up applications in high-frequency technology, flexible electronics, EMI shielding, and catalytic and sensory surfaces. Continuous electroplating enables the production of functional metal layers in a material-efficient, reproducible, and industrially scalable manner. The pilot plant serves as a platform for research, prototyping, and the transfer of new coating concepts into industrial roll-to-roll processes.
