October 29, 2020
Knowledge modules for battery cells “Made in Germany”
Battery cells are manufactured in many process steps. It is mixed, stirred, coated, rolled, cut, stacked. Scientists at ProZell are working on how the quality of the final product can be improved and production can be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The competence cluster for battery cell production, in which researchers from Ulm are also involved, has been funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) since 2016. In order for the research results to be quickly transferred to industrial application, ProZell is increasingly relying on knowledge transfer to industry. This year, the third edition of the ProZell Industry Day took place on October 27, 2020 in a digital conference format.
“With the research in ProZell, we want to make an intensive contribution to the BMBF’s umbrella concept ‘Research Factory Battery’ and establish internationally competitive industrial production of battery cells in Germany and Europe,” says Professor Arno Kwade, spokesman for the ProZell competence cluster and head of the Institute for Particle Technology University of Braunschweig. “We are already demonstrating what is successfully possible on a laboratory and pilot scale. Now it is important to transfer what you have learned to industrial use. ”
The cluster promotes the dialogue between research and industry by organizing an industry day in order to establish further collaborations and sound out industrial and scientific requirements. The cluster members presented their research results on October 27, 2020. For example, it has been shown that thicker electrodes in battery cells can increase the energy density. Individual manufacturing processes could be accelerated and thus lead to a reduction in production costs. In addition, new process technologies for the production of battery electrodes were presented, which manage with smaller quantities or entirely without solvents, save material costs and thus improve the ecological footprint.
The Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU) is involved in the competence cluster as a joint research institution through the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
Auch in Ulm kooperieren Forschende im Rahmen von #ProZell, um die Herstellung von Batteriematerialien zu optimieren. *red #uulm @HelmholtzUlm @DLR_de @ZSW_BW #battery https://t.co/qXM49OEAL5
— Universität Ulm (@uni_ulm) October 28, 2020
Battery research using computer simulation
Battery research does not only take place in the laboratory, but also via computer simulation. In Ulm, the University’s Institute for Stochastics cooperates with the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW), the German Aerospace Center at the Helmholtz Institute Ulm (DLR / HIU) as well as the Helmholtz Center Berlin and the TU Braunschweig. With the help of statistical image analysis and stochastic 3D structure modeling, the attempt is made to elucidate the relationships between geometric structural parameters on the microscale and electrochemical properties of the battery electrodes. These ultimately affect the performance of the cell. The work is based on real electrode materials, the microstructure of which is made accessible by means of high-resolution imaging.
“After the 3D image data have been processed, virtual electrode materials are generated on the computer using stochastic methods that are statistically similar to the observed”, says Dr. Matthias Neumann from the Institute for Stochastics at the University of Ulm. In addition, virtual but still realistic image data of electrode materials can then be generated on the computer, which differ from the materials already produced, for example in terms of their thickness or porosity. These image data are then made available for the simulation-based determination of the associated electrochemical properties. The results of the virtual material optimization should contribute as recommendations to an optimized production of the battery materials. At this year’s Industry Day, in particular, new results for the preparation of image data using statistical learning methods such as artificial neural networks were presented.
The ProZell competence cluster
In cooperation with the BMBF, the competence network for lithium-ion batteries (KLiB) and the ProZell management team, the lively ProZell network successfully creates synergies between science and industry. The aim is to create the basis for high-performance and cost-effective battery cell production “Made in Germany”. Network partners are the TU Braunschweig, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Landshut, the TU Berlin, the TU Clausthal, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), the German Aerospace Center via the Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU), the University of Ulm, the RWTH Aachen, the TU Dresden, the TU Munich, the WWU Münster via the MEET Battery Research Center Münster, the Fraunhofer Society and the research center Jülich via the Helmholtz Institute Münster.
On 31.05.2017, Prof. Doris Wedlich and Dr. Christian Röthig came to the HIU during the annual visit of the divisional management. After a presentation of the activities of the HIU by the director Prof. Maximilian Fichtner and a subsequent discussion, three scientists from HIU presented their research areas and were available to answer questions: Dr. Franziska Klein informed about the research activity of the HIU regarding halide ion batteries. The research of Dr. Birger Horstmann deals with the use of zinc-air batteries with regard to novel electrolytes. Dr. Dominic Bresser, in turn, researches alternative anodes for lithium-ion batteries.
In a following round of questions, representatives of the directorate, the science and the administration also got into conversation. At the end of the meeting, the visit ended with a walk through the building and a guided tour of the labs.
Prof. Dr. Doris Wedlich has been Head of Division for the Division I since 2014. The Division I combines research, teaching and innovation in the scientific disciplines of biology, chemistry and process engineering. Dr. Christian Röthig, in turn, is responsible for the areas of human resources and resources.
The Ulm Battery Conference ABAA12 (Advanced Lithium Batteries for Automobile Applications) was drawing to a close as the message from Stockholm spread in the audience. A conference participant had just been awarded the Nobel Prize on the same morning.
Spontaneous jubilation, standing ovations and applause for the newly awarded winner: M. Stanley Whittingham – who himself had been informed of his award just a few minutes earlier by a telefphone call – sat calmly in the audience of the ABAA12 conference, when the news went around the world. He was honored with this year’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry at 11:45 am with John B. Goodenough and Akira Yoshino for inventing the lithium-ion battery.
Stanley Whittingham was considered one of the earliest lithium battery researchers worldwide. These lithium-ion batteries are today in almost all portable electrical appliances, e-cars and stationary storages. His personal research contribution was a whole series of material innovations: Not only were the lithium batteries much lighter than their predecessors, they could also be re-charged and discharged many times.
Whittingham developed the first functional lithium battery in the early 1970s. Goodenough was responsible for the development of much more powerful batteries. Yoshino in 1985 produced the first commercially available lithium-ion battery.
The ABAA12 Conference is an international conference with changing venues on every continent. The conference was hosted by Margret Wohlfahrt-Mehrens (ZSW), Prof. Stefano Passerini (HIU) and Dr. med. Khalil Amine (IALB / Argonne National Laboratory, USA).
The ABAA12 conference is unique compared to other congress formats. The ABAA12 provides a substantial connection between science, industry and politics. Around 380 participants from 30 nations – including renowned scientists, policymakers and representatives of the automotive industry – debated over four days on current trends of lithium-ion batteries.
12. – 16.05.2013
Karlsruhe, Deutschland
Die zweite Konferenz für Materialien für Energieanwendungen findet 2013 in Karlsruhe statt. Die Themenfelder erstrecken sich über das Thema Energiewandlung, Energiespeicher, Transport, Effizienz und die fundamentalen Aspekte.
18.11.2019, 4:00-6:00 PM
The Bundesverband der Mittelständischen Wirtschaft (BVMW) and the Projektentwicklungs-GmbH Ulm (PEG) invite local managers of small and medium-sized enterprises to the event “Business meets Science” at the Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU).
Venue:
Helmholtz Institute Ulm
Electrochemical Energy Storage (HIU)
Helmholtzstraße 11
89081 Ulm
Event-Flyer
Registration:
Mr Karl-Heinz Raguse
6.6.2018, 8:45 Uhr
ITAS, Karlstr. 11, 76133 Karlsruhe
Das Recycling gegenwärtiger Li-Ion Batterien ist aufwendig und zum Teil mit erheblichen Kosten und Umweltauswirkungen verbunden. Ferner können (je nach Recyclingtechnologie) auch nur ein Teil der Wertstoffe wiedergewonnen werden. Jedoch wird ein möglichst vollständiges Recycling aufgrund der Endlichkeit mineralischer Ressourcen und der teils hohen Umweltbelastung aus der Rohstoffgewinnung als zentral für eine positive Umweltbilanz von Batteriespeichern gesehen. Unabhängig davon werden gegenwärtig einige post-Lithium Speichersysteme entwickelt, über deren prinzipielle Rezyklierbarkeit noch sehr wenig bekannt ist. Soweit sich die Technologieentwicklung an der Verwendung kosten-günstiger Materialien orientiert, kann dies zu geringen wirtschaftlichen Anreizen für ein Recycling führen. Auf der anderen Seite gibt es emergente Batteriesysteme, die auf Reinmetall-Elektroden basieren, welche ein stoffliches Recycling nennenswert begünstigen.
Workshop und Expertenforum
Der eintägige Workshop bringt Experten aus verschiedenen Disziplinen und Institutionen wie Forschung, Industrie oder Politikberatung zusammen. Diese diskutieren unternehmerische Aspekte, Regularien, potentielle Umweltauswirkungen sowie die mögliche Anwendbarkeit gegenwärtiger und zukünftiger Recyclingverfahren auf die verschiedenen Batterie- und Zellchemien. Neben etablierten Li-Ionen Batterien werden dabei auch vielversprechende neue Zellchemien wie z.B. Li-Ion Festkörper, Na- Ion oder Mg-Ion Batterien betrachtet. Auf dieser Basis sollen dann erste Grundsätze für einen recycling-freundlicheren Aufbau von Batterien und potentielle Regeln für ein „design for recyclability“ im frühen Entwicklungsstadium entworfen werden.
Ziele
28. – 29. Oktober 2014
Ulm, Deutschland
GREENLION ist ein breit vernetztes, europäisches Forschungsprojekt aus dem „7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7)“ der EU, welches zum Ziel hat, die Herstellung von Lithium-Ionen-Batterien für die Elektromobilität “grüner” und günstiger zu gestalten.
23. – 26. März 2014
Bad Honnef, Deutschland
“Analytical Tools for Fuel Cells and Batteries”
Ein Workshop organisiert von:
Dr. Roswitha Zeis (HIU, Helmholtz Nachwuchsgruppe)
Prof. Dr. Helmut Ehrenberg (KIT, IAM-ESS)
Prof. Dr. Christina Roth (Freie Universität Ulm)
Dieses Seminar ist gefördert durch die WE-Heraeus-Stiftung.
13. – 14. Juli 2013
Barga, Italien
Mit Beteiligung von Prof. Maximilian Fichtner fand im Juli 2013 die Gordon Conference “Hydrogen Interactions in Energy Storage” statt. Es wurden Vorträge und Poster präsentiert.
3. – 7. Juni 2013
Ulm, Deutschland
Die PBFC-6 führt die halbjährlichen Konferenzen weiter, welche 2003 in Jeju Island gestartet wurde. Die Konferenz bietet ein Forum für neue Fortschritte im Themenfeld Energiewandler und Energiespeicher.