July 6th, 2026

Excellent Safety

PolySafeBatt Honored with NEULAND Award 2026

Investments in research are investments in our future — but only a concrete market perspective helps bring scientific findings into application more quickly. That is exactly why the NEULAND Idea Competition was launched at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). It recognizes projects that promise particular benefits for industrial application.

We are delighted that Unho Jung and Dominik Steinle from the Helmholtz Institute Ulm have received one of the coveted NEULAND Awards 2026 for their project PolySafeBatt.

What is PolySafeBatt about?

PolySafeBatt is developing a new generation of polymer-based lithium metal batteries. At its core is a high-voltage semi-solid-state polymer battery platform that combines three key advantages:

• Increased safety through leak-proof polymer electrolytes
• Scalable battery design that can be adapted to different applications
• Flexible form factors that open up new possibilities in cell design

The heart of the technology lies in polymer electrolytes which, unlike conventional liquid electrolytes, cannot leak — a decisive safety advantage. At the same time, they are compatible with high-energy cathode materials as well as with lithium metal anodes, which enable particularly high energy densities. This means the platform combines two properties that are often in conflict in battery research: maximum safety and maximum performance.

Why safety matters so much

The more energy a battery stores, the higher the safety requirements typically become. Conventional lithium-ion cells with liquid electrolyte carry a certain risk when damaged or overloaded — for example, through leaking or flammable electrolytes. Semi-solid-state and polymer systems like PolySafeBatt’s address this directly: they structurally reduce this risk without having to sacrifice high energy density.

This makes the technology especially interesting for areas where batteries are used close to humans or under demanding operating conditions.

Target applications: from robotics to stationary energy storage

The platform is specifically designed for battery systems that are sensitive to both safety and energy density requirements. Key application areas include:

• Humanoid robotics and service robotics, where batteries operate in close proximity to humans and must meet the highest safety standards
• Stationary energy storage systems (ESS), where longevity, safety, and scalability are top priorities

The robotics sector in particular is growing rapidly and places new demands on energy storage: compact design, high power density, and maximum operational safety must all be met simultaneously. With its flexible form-factor concept, the PolySafeBatt platform addresses exactly these requirements.

An award with signal effect

KIT’s NEULAND Idea Competition recognizes research projects that bring concrete industrial application potential beyond their academic relevance. The fact that PolySafeBatt was honored with one of the coveted 2026 awards underscores this material platform’s potential to make the leap from basic research to industrial application.

For the Helmholtz Institute Ulm, this award is further proof of how closely materials research and application perspective are integrated at our institute.

Curious to learn more?

Would you like to find out more about what the PolySafeBatt high-voltage semi-solid-state polymer battery platform looks like and how it works in detail? Feel free to get in touch with us — we welcome your interest and the exchange with industry and research.

Congratulations to Unho Jung and Dominik Steinle on the NEULAND Award 2026!

Foto: Dominik Steinle and Unho Jung at Helmholtz Institute Ulm

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Anna Sophia Boden
Press Officer
sophia.boden@kit.edu