Beyond Li-Batteries: Materials & Interphases

SIMBA 
 
Sodium-Ion and sodium Metal Batteries for efficient and sustainable next-generation energy storage (2021-2024) 
 
The SIMBA European project comprises 15 partners and aims to develop a highly cost-effective, safe, all-solid-state sodium-ion and sodium-metal battery for stationary storage applications. Sodium-ion batteries are similar to lithium-ion batteries; however, several scientific and technical challenges must be addressed in understanding electrochemical processes and degradation mechanisms, electrode, solid-state electrolyte, and cell manufacturing. The SIMBA project aims to solve these challenges and pave the way to market introduction. The work at the HIU focuses on developing a new class of single-ion conductive polymer electrolyte with wide electrochemical stability window and high ionic conductivity at room temperature for all-solid-state sodium-ion batteries. In addition, HIU will perform the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the SIMBA battery. 
 
Partners: 
 
– Technische Universität Darmstadt (TUDa)
– Uppsala University (UU)
– University of Birmingham (UBham)
– University of Warwick – Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG)
– Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergie alternatives (CEA)
– Institute for Energy Technology (IFE)
– Slovak Academy of Science (SAS)
– Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE (FHG)
– Elkem ASA (Elkem)
– Yunasko-Ukranie LLC (YUN)
– Saft Groupe S.A. (SAFT)
– Altris AB (Altris)
– TES-Recupyl SAS (Recupyl)
– Uniresearch B.V. (UNR) 
 
Further information: 
https://simba-h2020.eu/ 
 
SPIRIT 
Solid-state Potassium-Ion batteries for safe and sustainable energy storage (2022-2025) 

SPIRIT collaborative project is part of the M-ERA.net 2021 call, funded by BMBF, with Spanish, German, and Israeli academic and industrial partners. The aim of SPIRIT is to develop a safe, sustainable, and cost-competitive solid-state potassium-ion battery for large-scale stationary applications and light electromobility, with energy densities comparable to current lithium-ion batteries and competitive with sodium-ion Batteries. The HIU’s main goals are to design and develop novel, low-cost, scalable, and safe potassium-ion conductive ternary polymer electrolytes, synthesize long-term and high energy bio-waste derived hard carbon anode materials, understand the electrolyte-electrode degradation and interfacial formation and manufactured solid-state potassium-ion demonstrators. 
 
Partners: 
 
– Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
– Institute of Polymer Science and Technology (CSIC)
– Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS)
– Io-li-tec – Ionic Liquids Technologies GmbH (IOL) 
 
Further information: 
https://www.spirit-k-ion.com/ 
 
Transition transfer 
 
Sodium-ion materials and demonstrators for mobile and stationary energy storage systems (2023-2026) 
 
Transition transfer is a collaborative research project with German partners funded by BMBF. The overall goal is to develop high-performance, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly sodium demonstrations using two different families of electrolytes. The Transition Transfer project follows on from the investigations and activities of the TRANSITION project, with the precise aim of bringing the processes to a higher technical level (TRL6 for liquid electrolyte and TRL4 for polymer electrolyte and anode-less system). HIU activities are preparation, optimization, and up-scaling of bio-waste-derived hard carbon anode materials, as well as manufacturing hard carbon electrodes, synthesis and optimization of sodium polymer electrolytes, and development of polymer electrolytes based anode-less sodium demonstrator.  
 
Partners: 
 
– Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW)
– Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HUB)
– Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (FSU) 
 
eNargiZinc 
 
Towards innovative and affordable sodium- and zinc-based energy storage systems based on more sustainable and locally-sourced materials (2024-2026) 

The eNargiZinc is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network project, which aims to train creative, entrepreneurial, innovative, and resilient doctoral candidates in academic and non-academic sectors, able to face current and future challenges and to convert knowledge and ideas into products and services for economic and social benefit. eNargiZinc aims at developing new knowledge, technology, and commercially exploitable products related to innovative and affordable next-generation electrochemical energy devices, such as sodium-ion batteries, zinc-ion batteries, zinc-air batteries, and zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors, targeting long-term sustainability through the use of abundant and renewable materials and low environmental-impact production processes. 
 
Partners: 
 
– Universidad de Zaragoza (UNIZAR)
– Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (ISTM)
– Imperial College London (ICL)
– Deregallera Limited
– Fundación IMDEA Energía (IME)
– CIC ENERGIGUNE (CICE)
– The University of Warwick (WMG)
– VARTA Miccrobattery GmbH (VARTA)
– GAZ Geräte-und Akkumulatorrenwerk Zwickau GmbH (GAZ) 
 
4NIB – 4 Volt Sodium-Ion Battery (2023-2026) 
 
The aim of the “4NIB” project is to develop and optimize bio-waste derived hard carbon anode (HIU/KIT), polyanion phosphate cathode (ZSW and FZJ) and electrolyte (ALU) and to manufacture an innovative high-performance cost-effective and environmentally friendly sodium-ion battery (ZSW) for mobile (scooter, light-duty and city-transportation vehicles) and stationary applications. The final goal is to demonstrate a sodium pouch-cell (TRL4) with a specific energy of ≥ 200 Wh/kg at the stack level. The implementation of a proof of concept and the development of the full sodium-ion battery cell demonstrators is based on successfully completed preliminary research at the material level (anode, cathode and electrolyte) by each project partner. 
 
Partners: 
 
– Zentrum für Sonnenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW) – coordinator;
– Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg (ALU)
– Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (FZJ).