Air transport is under increasing criticism for its energy intensity and CO2 emissions in the context of climate change. Aviation is likely to remain the fastest growing transport sector, so action is urgently needed if aviation is to play its part in meeting the European Green Deal's target of climate neutrality by 2050.
The transition from fossil-fuel-powered to increasingly electrical aircraft propulsion is contingent upon the development of electric energy storage systems that meet aeronautic requirements. The development of aviation-grade battery technologies and systems for passenger aircraft is in its infancy. While lithium-ion battery technology will remain the dominant technology at the mid-term, its limited energy density at the cell and pack level results in a substantial weight penalty for aircraft integration. Multifunctional structures capable of storing electrical energy or structural batteries (SB) offer the highest degree of integration, thus the lowest weight impact.
The objective of the MATISSE project is to develop and mature SB technology for hybrid electric aircraft applications. This involves integrating lithium-ion cells into aeronautical composite structures, sharing the load-bearing function with the structure and creating an aircraft structural element capable of functioning as a battery module.
MATISSE develops load-bearing quasi-solid-state Li-ion battery cell technology, enabling their functional integration into aerospace-grade solid laminate and sandwich composite structures. Furthermore, the structural battery is made smart by equipping it with on-cell and in-structure sensors, connected to a microchip-based monitoring unit.
MATISSE will deliver a multi-functional energy storage demonstrator in the form of a full-scale wing tip (1.4 m × 0.7 m) to replace the current wingtip assembly installed on the Pipistrel Velis Electro, the first type-certified fully electric light aircraft. This will undergo a comprehensive testing and characterisation campaign, with the objective of qualifying the technology at TRL 4 at the end of the project (2025).
Furthermore, MATISSE will address issues related to flight certification, life-cycle sustainability, and virtual scale-up. This will facilitate the application of structural batteries as an improved performance key enabling technology for next generation commuter and regional hybrid electric aircraft applications.
