News & Events Archiv - Page 4 of 19 - Helmholtz-Institut Ulm

Due to the growing electric mobility, lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are produced on an ever larger scale, which leads to a large cost reduction and new possibilities for their use in energy storage at grid and/or household level. By 2040, the number of electric vehicles is expected to increase by two to three orders of magnitude and stationary storage can reach up to 1,300 GWh.

This raises concerns about the future and long-term availability and cost of critical raw materials (particularly cobalt, nickel, copper and lithium) used in LIB. Although LIBs are ideally suited for use in electromobility, Germany and Europe also need new, reliable, sustainable and cost-effective batteries for stationary storage. In such a scenario, sodium-ion batteries with aqueous electrolytes are an attractive alternative.

The Helmholtz Institute Ulm of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology coordinates the new research project “NaSS” (aqueous sodium batteries for cost-effective and sustainable stationary energy storage, FKZ 03XP0490), which is funded by the BMBF as part of the Battery 2020 Transfer program. The project aims to demonstrate a novel rechargeable aqueous Na-ion cell chemistry based on non-critical raw materials.

The holistic approach of the project includes the modelling, synthesis and characterization of new materials as well as their validation in prototype cells. In cooperation with the project partner Forschungszentrum Jülich, novel mixed-conducting electrode materials based on readily available metal components are being developed and tested. These will make it possible to take full advantage of the improved stability window of water-in-salt electrolytes, which are composed of non-fluorinated, inexpensive sodium salts. Finally, the acquired know-how will be used for the production of very thick electrodes with high surface capacity, which will be used in a small laboratory-scale demonstration prototype.

As a result of the project, in addition to the functioning Na-ion low-temperature battery, an industrializable, technological process chain from the material to the battery cell is to be developed together with the industry advisory board (Schott AG, BMZ GmbH and Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH) for an innovative and environmentally friendly stationary Energy storage “Made in Germany”.

Lithium-ion Batteries: New Ecofriendly Process for Mass-manufacturing Nickel-rich Cathodes: The ZSW (Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg), a partner institute of HIU, produces water-based electrodes and cells on a pilot scale.

Today, all high-performance lithium-ion batteries are made of materials containing a high content of nickel in the cathode mass to increase energy density. The manufacturing process for such high-nickel materials requires toxic solvents and chemicals containing fluorine. Now the ZSW has come up with an ecofriendly, cost-effective alternative for mass-manufacturing cathodes. The Ulm-based researchers first replaced the toxic solvent NMP with water and also found fluorine-free binders. Then they produced nickel-rich cathodes with high specific energy and great longevity. This was done on pilot scale under factory-like conditions. The resulting electrodes were assembled into type 21700 round cells. Proven to retain 80 percent of their initial capacity after 1,000 charge/discharge cycles, they are suitable for use in battery vehicles.

In recent years, there has been considerable progress on a laboratory scale in the water-based production of electrodes containing nickel-rich active materials. However, a proof of concept for mass manufacturing had yet to be put forward. ZSW has now demonstrated this process’s viability on a factory-like scale.

“Our work targets the improvement of electrodes production for lithium-ion batteries to and make it ecofriendly without compromising battery performance,” said Prof. Dr. Markus Hölzle, head of the Electrochemical Energy Technologies Division in Ulm. “Replacing toxic solvents and non-biodegradable fluorine-containing chemicals was instrumental to this end.”

In the course of this research effort, ZSW replaced the standard solvent NMP and the binder mixture PVDF with an aqueous formulation and a fluorine-free binder. This not only has positive ecological impacts; it also reduces the cost of producing cells. The ZSW researchers built on work they had done previously on a milliliter scale.

In an even more important achievement, they also managed to produce electrodes ranging up to some 100 meters in length. This is the first time this has been done. Pre-developed materials were used on a kilogram scale to this end. Also called a pilot scale, this is a key step in scaling-up processes from the milliliter scale in labs to large-scale use cases with magnitudes in cubic meters or tons. ZSW was also able to use the 100-meter electrode strips to produce cylindrical battery cells in 21700 format. For example, automaker Tesla uses this cell format in its Model 3 vehicle and such battery cells are also suitable for e-bikes or power-tools.

The batteries produced with this new process contain a highly active cathode material with 83 percent nickel by weight and with graphite on the opposite side – that is, the negative pole or anode. The cells were charged and discharged 1,000 times at 25 degrees Celsius before their energy content dipped below 80 percent. Expressed as driving distance, this would be at least 200,000 kilometers for the sizes of batteries typically installed in contemporary electric vehicles.

“We are significantly reducing the environmental footprint of lithium-ion batteries with our new production process,” adds Dr. Margret Wohlfarth-Mehrens, head of the Accumulators Materials Research department, which carried out this work. Dr. Margret Wohlfarth-Mehrens also heads a research group at HIU. “Water has been used as a solvent for anodes for many years, even on an industrial scale. Now we have succeeded in doing the same for the cathode materials. In addition to eliminating toxic solvents, water also enables the use of non-fluorinated binders, which greatly simplifies battery recycling.”

Lithium-ion batteries are the key enabler for the transition to e-mobility. Their performance hinges almost entirely on the materials used. To bring innovations to market, developments have to be ramped up from the laboratory to the pilot scale. Scientists use the term “pilot scale” to describe a process in which all steps meet the requirements of factory-like production. The work was carried out as part of the DigiBatt Pro 4.0 project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) is one of the leading institutes for applied research in the areas of hydrogen, photovoltaics, renewable fuels, battery technology, fuel cells and energy system analysis. There are currently around 330 scientists, engineers and technicians employed at the three ZSW sites in Stuttgart, Ulm and Widderstall. In addition, there are 100 research and student assistants. The ZSW is a member of the Innovationsallianz Baden-Württemberg (innBW), a group of 12 non-university, applied research institutes.

Further information:

Photo: Battery prototypes produced by ZSW in 21700 format with aqueous-coated nickel-rich cathodes.

Business representatives of a wide variety of industries are frequent guests at the HIU. Mostly it is about scientific projects and an exchange of information about electrochemical energy storage, batteries or new concepts for energy conversion and storage.

On March 30th, 2023, around a dozen Austrian representatives visited the HIU to find out specifically about the current status of sodium-ion batteries. Dr. Dominic Bresser, Research group leader at HIU gave a lecture on the most diverse variations of battery chemistry: The scientist emphasized: “There is not just one type of sodium-ion battery. Just as there is no single cell chemistry for lithium-ion batteries.” According to Dr. Bresser have a wide variety of characteristics: Sodium-ion batteries consist largely of materials that are described as available, particularly inexpensive, powerful and at the same time durable. Therefore, these batteries are also considered sustainable. As early as this year, Dr. Bresser with an industrial ramp-up of sodium battery production.

The delegation was brought together by the innovation officer Franz Nickl from the commercial department of the Austrian Consulate General in Munich. The group had come together through “Advantage Austria”, the business development organization of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce. The delegation also visited the “E-Lab” of the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the “Batterietechnicum” of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Both institutions are founding members of the HIU.

Further information:

Advantage Austria (Foreign trade organization of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce)

28.07.2023
Dr. María Arnaiz
Centre for Cooperative Research on Alternative Energies (CICenergiGUNE)

Researchers from the HIU and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology have developed an inexpensive and environmentally friendly recycling process for lithium. Her publication recently appeared in “Nature Communications Chemistry”. Recovering up to 70 percent of the lithium from battery waste without the need for corrosive chemicals, high temperatures, or prior sorting of the materials: This enables a recycling process developed at KIT that combines mechanical processes and chemical reactions. The method allows a wide variety of lithium-ion batteries to be recycled in a cost-effective, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly manner.

Lithium-ion batteries permeate our everyday life: They not only supply notebooks and smartphones, toys, remote controls and other small devices with wireless power, but also act as the most important energy store for the rapidly growing electromobility. The increasing use of these batteries calls for economically and ecologically sustainable recycling methods. Today, mainly nickel and cobalt, copper and aluminum as well as steel are recovered and recycled from battery waste. The recovery of lithium is currently still expensive and not very profitable. The available, mostly metallurgical processes consume a lot of energy and/or leave behind harmful by-products. In contrast, approaches in mechanochemistry that use mechanical processes to bring about chemical reactions promise higher yields with less effort and greater sustainability.

#Batterierecycling: 70 Prozent des #Lithiums zurückgewonnen. Forschende des KIT entwickeln preisgünstiges und umweltverträgliches mechanochemisches Wiederverwertungsverfahren. https://t.co/zCeZyMOsly pic.twitter.com/E1JmOs0p9c

— KIT Karlsruhe (@KITKarlsruhe) March 28, 2023

Suitable for different cathode materials

The Institute for Applied Materials – Energy Storage Systems (IAM-ESS) of the KIT has now developed such a method together with the developed by KIT in cooperation with the University of Ulm and the Helmholtz Institute Ulm for Electrochemical Energy Storage (HIU) and EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG. The researchers present their method in the journal Nature Communications Chemistry. You can achieve a recovery rate of up to 70 percent for the lithium without the need for corrosive chemicals, high temperatures or prior sorting of the materials. “The process is suitable for recovering lithium from cathode materials with different chemical compositions and is therefore suitable for many different commercially available lithium-ion batteries,” explains Dr. Oleksandr Dolotko from the IAM-ESS of the KIT and from the HIU, main author of the publication. “It allows for cost-effective, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly recycling.”

Reaction takes place at room temperature

For their process, the researchers use aluminum as a reducing agent in the mechanochemical reaction. Since aluminum is already contained in the cathode, the process does not require any additional substances. How it works: The battery waste is first ground up. Then they are used in a reaction with aluminum to create metallic composites with water-soluble lithium compounds. The lithium is then recovered by dissolving the water-soluble compounds in water and then heating to remove the water through evaporation. Since the mechanochemical reaction takes place at ambient temperature and pressure, the process is particularly energy-efficient. Another advantage is the simple process, which will facilitate use on an industrial scale. Because in the near future, large quantities of batteries will have to be recycled.

Original publication (Open Access)

Oleksandr Dolotko, Niclas Gehrke, Triantafillia Malliaridou, Raphael Sieweck, Laura Herrmann, Bettina Hunzinger, Michael Knapp & Helmut Ehrenberg: Universal and efficient extraction of lithium for lithium-ion battery recycling using mechanochemistry. Communications Chemistry, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-023-00844-2

As “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for society and the environment. The aim is to make significant contributions to global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility and information. Around 9,800 employees work together on a broad disciplinary basis in natural sciences, engineering, economics, humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, business, and science through research-oriented university studies. The innovation activity at KIT bridges the gap between knowledge and application for social benefit, economic prosperity and the preservation of our natural foundations of life. The KIT is one of the German Universities of Excellence.

HIU research group leader Dr. Simon Fleischmann received a highly endowed scholarship from the Daimler and Benz Foundation this year. Eleven other researchers, mostly postdocs and junior professors, were also honored together with Fleischmann. The duration of the scholarships is two years. Dr. Simon Fleischmann heads the research group “Nanoconfined Electrochemical Interfaces” at HIU.

The award is intended to strengthen your professional career, especially during the productive phase after your doctorate. The funding amount is 40,000 euros per scholarship. The funding program is open to applicants from all scientific disciplines, there are no thematic restrictions. Fleischmann’s funded research topic reads as follows: “Sodium replaces lithium: development of novel electrode materials for a more sustainable battery cell”. In his research at the HIU, he cooperates with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Reinhard Frank Foundation.

Congrats Simon ??? HIU PI Dr. @SFleischmann_ has received a grant from @dbstiftung. He is among 12 selected young scientists who received a scholarship from the foundation. Funding amount is 40,000 €/ scholarship for a period of 2 years. @KITKarlsruhe @uni_ulm @ClusterPolis https://t.co/hWnraBV28k

— Helmholtz Institute Ulm ???? (@HelmholtzUlm) March 23, 2023

Projekt description

Lithium-ion batteries are experiencing enormous demand in e-cars, portable electronics or stationary energy storage – and the trend is rising. While previous developments were mostly aimed at increasing energy density, aspects of sustainability are becoming increasingly important in times of disrupted supply chains and scarcity of raw materials. One promising approach is to replace lithium with sodium, which is chemically similar but available in large quantities. However, its larger diameter places special demands on the electrodes so that they can absorb and release the ions with high reversibility. Simon Fleischmann’s project explores new electrode materials that are specially designed for sodium transport at fast rates and with high long-term stability.

Simon Fleischmann is a materials scientist at HIU and received his doctorate in 2018 from Saarland University. He then spent two years researching as a postdoc at North Carolina State University and one year as a winner of the Young Energy Storage Scientist Award and scholarship holder at the Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse. Since November 2021 he has been a junior research group leader at the Helmholtz Institute Ulm. In his work, he researches, among other things, innovative materials for batteries and supercapacitors.

Further information:
https://www.daimler-benz-stiftung.de/cms/de/foerdern/stipendienprogramm/stipendiaten/605-stipendiaten-2023.html

Research location Ulm covers all steps of battery development

Minister President Winfried Kretschmann visits the Cluster of Excellence POLiS, the research platform CELEST and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg

Minister President Winfried Kretschmann visited the Cluster of Excellence POLiS (Post Lithium Storage), HIU and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) at the Ulm research site on February 3, 2023 to learn about battery research. During a laboratory tour at the Cluster of Excellence, he gained a personal overview of a fully digitized and automated laboratory for accelerated material development that is unique in the world. At the ZSW, the focus was on facilities for research into the near-series production of large lithium-ion cells.

Impressions of Minister President Winfried Kretschmanns visit to @ClusterPolis @RegierungBW pic.twitter.com/Odfqn2kcKj

— POLiS_Cluster (@ClusterPolis) February 3, 2023

“The POLiS Cluster of Excellence, the CELEST research platform and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) are hubs of battery and hydrogen research. Here, battery technology is being taken to a whole new level. With the development of new battery materials that no longer rely on critical materials, Ulm is making an extremely important contribution to making our economy more independent – after all, the geopolitical changes have shown us the effects that dependencies can have,” said Minister President Kretschmann. “As the state government, this is also why we initiated the Battery Round Table, to bring together research and companies in this area. And to identify and accompany challenges and developments in battery technology at an early stage.”

“At the Ulm University, basic electrochemical research dates back to the 1980s. Today, more than 400 employees at various institutions are involved in the entire battery research development chain, making Ulm one of the battery competence centers in Europe,” said Prof. Michael Weber, president of Ulm University.

Im Exzellenzcluster #POLiS entwickeln die @uni_ulm & @KITKarlsruhe mit der @jlugiessen & dem Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- & Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) nachhaltigere #Batterietechnologien??u.a. auf Basis von #Natrium, Magnesium und Calcium. #Klimaschutz pic.twitter.com/un6GwncRUt

— Landesregierung BW (@RegierungBW) February 3, 2023

“At KIT, we pursue a transdisciplinary approach in battery research that encompasses the entire value chain. From materials research to production technology and cell development to complete energy storage systems, we are working on innovative solutions,” says Prof. Holger Hanselka, President of KIT. “In doing so, we work in a practical manner and cooperate closely with industry and our renowned partner institutions in Ulm and around the world to contribute to the energy transition.”

“Based on the long-standing expertise of the University of Ulm and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Helmholtz Institute Ulm, POLiS and the CELEST research platform have been created together with the ZSW. The CELEST initiative makes us one of the largest players in battery research worldwide,” said Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner, director of CELEST and spokesperson for the POLiS excellence cluster.

“Battery materials, battery cells and complete battery systems – especially for electromobility – are developing at a rapid pace. At the Ulm Science Park, all players are ideally positioned to implement development trends in batteries,” says. Prof. Dr. Markus Hölzle, ZSW board member and head of the Electrochemical Energy Technologies business unit. The focus at ZSW in Ulm is on technology transfer from laboratory scale to series production.”

Batteries based on sodium, magnesium and calcium

The POLiS cluster of excellence is researching more sustainable battery materials and technology concepts based on sodium, magnesium and calcium that do not require lithium and other critical raw materials. The first automated platform for accelerated battery material development represents an important building block for research into lithium alternatives. “Our facility is capable of building batteries around the clock, analyzing thousands of interfaces, evaluating them using artificial intelligence (AI) methods, and planning new experiments. In addition to acceleration through automation, the algorithms and AI can achieve additional optimization, which is 10 times faster, and bring promising battery materials to market faster and at lower cost,” said tenure-track Prof. Helge Stein (KIT), research area spokesperson at POLiS. The research facility is also embedded in a European framework. Data collected by the facility from all areas of the battery development cycle are shared with 34 institutions from 15 countries in the BIG-MAP project of the European research initiative BATTERY2030+, in which CELEST also plays an important role.

Industrial production research from the material to the cell

More than 100 scientists at ZSW have been working on lithium-ion and post-lithium batteries for many years. Here, the institute takes a holistic approach: Beginning with the production and characterization of active materials to the construction of complete battery systems and their testing, the work ends with the topic of battery recycling. Minister President Winfried Kretschmann visited the pilot plant for the industrial production of large lithium ion cells, which has been in operation since 2013 and will be expanded in 2022 and is unique in Europe, as they are used in electric vehicles today. Another stop on the tour was the construction site for the new “Powder-Up” pilot plant. Over the next twelve months, the ZSW will construct a new building for a pilot plant to produce cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries in material batches of 100 kilograms. Such quantities are required to be able to produce large battery cells for electric cars or stationary storage units in the first place. The facilities cover the entire production chain, but also enable research work on individual manufacturing steps. The battery materials produced can then be used in pilot plants at research institutes or by battery producers. The state of Baden-Württemberg is supporting this new building with 10 million euros.

About HIU
The Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU) was founded in January 2011 by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) as a member of the Helmholtz Association in cooperation with Ulm University. With the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), two other renowned institutions are involved in the HIU as associated partners. The international team of around 120 scientists is researching at the HIU on the further development of the basics of future-proof energy storage systems for stationary and mobile use.

From December 5th to 8th the 7th ICNaB Conference – the “International Conference on Sodium Batteries” took place in Ulm. The organizers, the Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU) and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) welcomed over 200 researchers and numerous representatives from science, industry and politics.

The program consisted of 41 lectures, the presentation of scientific posters and awards for them. The organizer duo, consisting of Dr. Margret Wohlfahrt-Multiens (ZSW) and Prof. Dr. Stefano Passerini (HIU), sounded optimistic: “The ICNaB conference showed the many different aspects of sodium batteries that are being investigated and developed to make them cheaper, technologically mature and, especially, sustainable, as well as it underlined the clear interest of industries world-wide in their production as energy storage devices complementary to lithium-ion batteries”, Passerini said.

Sodium-ion batteries are the focus of Passerini’s research group. These cells consist of materials that are described as available, uncritical, particularly inexpensive, powerful and at the same time durable. Therefore, these batteries are also considered sustainable. Passerini expects sodium battery production to ramp up as early as next year.

The ICNaB conference in Ulm also dealt with the development of sodium batteries from the laboratory to mass production. This transition from research to industrial production brings with it many challenges for both universities and companies: from material development, procurement, locations to plant construction and personnel issues. In addition, the conference addressed necessary infrastructure investments as well as sustainable production and recycling.

In addition, the conference also addressed the necessary infrastructure investments and the need for sustainable production and recycling. A scientific poster session gave participants, especially young scientists, a platform for discussion. The POLiS cluster of excellence, the University of Ulm, as well as the HIU and the ZSW were particularly involved.

Best Poster Awards

1st Prize (EERA JP Energy Storage: 300 EUR)
Winner: Emily Foley, UC Santa Barbara (USA)
Poster Title: “Investigating Polymorphism and Synthesis in Na2Fe2F7 and its Effect on Electrochemical Properties”

2nd Prize (EERA JP Energy Storage: 200 EUR)
Winner: Alexander Martin Kempf, TU Darmstadt (DE)
Poster Title: “Unlocking high-rate performance in C/Sn-composites by employing an ultra-fast heating process”

3rd Prize (“ChemSusChem” book voucher at “Wiley”: 200 EUR)
Winner: Till Ortmann, Justus Liebig University Giessen (DE) (POLIS)
Poster Title: “Growth Behaviour of Sodium Metal at NaSICON-Type Solid Electrolyte for Reservoir-free Sodium Solid State Batteries”

4th Prize (“Batteries&Supercaps” book voucher at “Wiley”: 100 EUR)
Winner: Silvia Porporato, Polytechnic of Turin (IT)
Poster Title: “An electrochemical investigation of electrode materials coupled with ionic liquid-based electrolytes for Na-ion batteries”

More information:
https://www.icnab22.com/
https://natron.energy/
https://www.zsw-bw.de/

Whether electromobility, portable electronics or grid storage for the power supply – life without lithium-ion batteries is difficult to imagine today. But the mining of lithium and other necessary raw materials such as nickel and cobalt causes high ecological costs and soon comes up against natural limits. An alternative may be calcium-sulphur batteries, the development of which is being promoted in the CaSino joint project coordinated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

“Like lithium, calcium has a high storage capacity and cell voltage,” says Maximilian Fichtner, director of the Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU), which was founded by KIT in cooperation with Ulm University. “It is also the fifth most abundant element in the earth’s crust and is equally available worldwide. Calcium is therefore also much cheaper than lithium and offers a more stable materials supply chain.” With the development of the first stable prototypes, the team at HIU had already laid the foundation for the new calcium technology. Through innovative material development, significant advances in terms of cycle stability and energy density are now to be achieved in CaSino.

Improved electrolytes for longer life

“The biggest challenge is still the reactivity of the calcium, which causes it to form unfavorable surface layers,” explains Zhirong Zhao-Karger from the HIU, who is in charge of the project. “Thanks to a boron-based electrolyte, however, we are already achieving the best electrochemical properties according to the latest state of the art.” Together with IoLiTec GmbH, a specialist for ionic liquids, the HIU is now striving to further improve the electrolyte. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is initially funding CaSino for three years.

More information:
https://www.kit.edu/kit/31698.php

Prof. Dr. Stefano Passerini has been awarded this year’s Alessandro Volta Medal.

The award ceremony took place during the 242nd meeting of the Electrochemical Society (ECS) in Atlanta (USA) on October 12, 2022. The society awards the prize every two years for outstanding research work in the field of electrochemistry and solid state research.

The jury recognized Passerini’s research activities in the development of materials for high-energy batteries and supercapacitors. These pursue the goal of creating sustainable energy storage systems from environmentally friendly and available materials.

The Italian chemist, currently deputy director of the Helmholtz Institute Ulm, received the award in particular as a pioneer in the field of ionic liquids and the development of sodium-ion batteries. Stefano Passerini has been one of the most cited scientists in this field for years and has already published more than 600 articles in specialist journals, books and conference papers.

Sodium-ion batteries are the focus of Passerini’s research group. These cells are made of materials that are described as available, particularly inexpensive, powerful and at the same time long-living. Therefore, these batteries are also considered sustainable. Passerini expects sodium battery production to ramp up as early as next year.

Along with Passerini, Jerry Barker was awarded the Volta Medal. Jerry Baker is the co-founder of the British company Faradion Ltd. The start-up company sells first Sodium-ion batteries.

The award consists of a silver medal and $2,000 in prize money. Like every awardee, Passerini was invited to give a “Volta Award Lecture” on a certain topic of great interest. In his lecture (“From the Oil Barrel to Reactive Metals: An Approach to the Energy Transition”), Passerini presented various solutions of electrochemical storage models. According to Passerini, particularly reactive, metal-based storage systems based on aluminum and sodium are able to meet all sustainability and storage criteria. Both the steam combustion of molten aluminum to produce hydrogen and heat make interesting models. In addition, liquid saltwater batteries could one day help store energy electrochemically in seawater.

The Volta Medal was established by the “Europe Section” of the Society for Electrochemistry in 1998 to recognize outstanding achievements in electrochemistry and solid state scientific and technological research.

Alessandro Volta was an Italian scientist and is considered the inventor of electrochemistry. He is said to have invented the “voltaic pile”, known today as the first electric battery. The SI unit of electrical potential (voltage), better known as Volt, is named after him.