Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SiGNE (Composite Silicon/Graphite Anodes with Ni-Rich Cathodes and Safe Ether based Electrolytes forHigh Capacity Li-ion Batteries)
Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-08-31
The SiGNE project responds to major European strategic challenges linked to sustainable mobility, energy security, and industrial competitiveness in the rapidly expanding battery sector. Europe needs high-performance lithium-ion battery technologies that combine increased energy density, faster charging, improved durability, and reduced environmental impact, while strengthening supply-chain resilience and supporting EU climate and industrial policy goals. SiGNE addresses these needs by developing and validating advanced electrode materials and cell concepts, assessing their performance, cost, and life-cycle impacts, and translating laboratory innovations toward pilot-scale and pre-industrial contexts. Through this pathway to impact, the project is expected to contribute to cleaner and more efficient electrification solutions, lower material and manufacturing footprints, and enhanced technological leadership for European industry, with benefits at both economic and societal scale. Where relevant, the project also integrates socio-economic and market-oriented perspectives (e.g. exploitation planning, sustainability assessment, value-chain analysis) to ensure that technological progress is aligned with user needs, industrial uptake, and broader policy priorities.
During RP2, the project delivered substantial scientific and engineering progress across the full SiGNE materials and cell-development chain. Si-nanowire/graphite composite anodes were further developed and successfully scaled from lab batches to 100 g reactor production, achieving uniform Si-NW growth, stable compositions and strong electrochemical performance, including >70% capacity retention over 100–500 cycles for Gen1/Gen2 materials and promising higher-Si Gen3 variants
. Fiber-based separators were upscaled to industrial paper-machine production, with GEN3 versions exceeding KPI targets for porosity (52%), permeability and thickness control, while maintaining mechanical integrity and readiness for integration into full cells
. Electrolyte development resolved earlier conductivity and viscosity limitations through redesigned GEN2 formulations, enabling reliable Li-ion transport and stable SEI behaviour and supporting downstream testing
. In WP5, full-cell harmonisation and validation progressed using combinations of Gen1–Gen3 anodes, separators and electrolytes, with KPI-3 achieved and both energy-density KPIs exceeded in pouch-cell testing (>550 Wh/kg NMC basis and >320 Wh/kg full-electrode basis), alongside improving cycling stability and emerging fast-charge capability
. Recycling and circularity activities demonstrated recovery and purification of anode, cathode and electrolyte materials with validated reuse potential, feeding back into materials optimisation and sustainability assessment
. Prototype preparation and compatibility testing advanced toward WP8 integration, with scaled components delivered for cell assembly and TRL-oriented validation in the next period
. Fiber-based separators were upscaled to industrial paper-machine production, with GEN3 versions exceeding KPI targets for porosity (52%), permeability and thickness control, while maintaining mechanical integrity and readiness for integration into full cells
. Electrolyte development resolved earlier conductivity and viscosity limitations through redesigned GEN2 formulations, enabling reliable Li-ion transport and stable SEI behaviour and supporting downstream testing
. In WP5, full-cell harmonisation and validation progressed using combinations of Gen1–Gen3 anodes, separators and electrolytes, with KPI-3 achieved and both energy-density KPIs exceeded in pouch-cell testing (>550 Wh/kg NMC basis and >320 Wh/kg full-electrode basis), alongside improving cycling stability and emerging fast-charge capability
. Recycling and circularity activities demonstrated recovery and purification of anode, cathode and electrolyte materials with validated reuse potential, feeding back into materials optimisation and sustainability assessment
. Prototype preparation and compatibility testing advanced toward WP8 integration, with scaled components delivered for cell assembly and TRL-oriented validation in the next period
The SiGNE project delivers results with strong potential impact for Europe’s battery ecosystem, including validated advances in high-performance cell materials, improved energy density and charging capability, and insights from life-cycle and cost analysis that support more sustainable and competitive battery production. These outcomes can accelerate industrial uptake by enabling improved prototype integration and informing scale-up pathways, but further progress will depend on continued research and demonstration at pilot-line level, access to investment for industrialisation, and strengthened collaboration between R&I and manufacturing actors. Key needs for maximising impact include targeted support for standardisation and safety validation, market-oriented exploitation planning and IPR protection, development of supply-chain partnerships and internationalisation opportunities, and a supportive regulatory and funding framework that de-risks innovation and facilitates transition from laboratory results to commercial applications.