Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ADVAGEN (Development of ADVAnced next GENeration Solid-State batteries for Electromobility Applications)
Reporting period: 2022-08-01 to 2024-01-31
The contemporary battery market is heavily dominated by Li-ion chemistry, primarily due to the substantial increase in their energy density and the significant decrease in their costs, amounting to at least a factor of 10. However, conventional Li-ion batteries (LIB) are nearing their performance limits regarding energy density. They are facing safety challenges and the need to develop and produce new battery generations, such as Solid-State Batteries (SSBs), to establish a fresh industry value chain in Europe for their commercialization. High-energy-density SSBs manufactured in the EU will ensure a consistent supply for the automotive sector and other industries. Therefore, creating and deploying new manufacturing technologies that enable the large-scale production of SSBs is imperative. The BATTERY 2030+ roadmap identifies manufacturability as a critical area in developing and producing sustainable batteries. Implementing innovative and scalable manufacturing techniques to produce SSBs is expected to expedite cost reduction, energy savings, and improved safety. The ADVAGEN consortium aims to develop a new lithium metal (LiM) battery cell technology based on a secure, dependable, high-performing hybrid solid-state electrolyte (LLZO-LPSCl based) that will provide a competitive advantage over worldwide competition, primarily from Asian countries. This endeavour will reinforce the EU's position as a technological and manufacturing leader in batteries, as articulated in the ERTRAC electrification roadmap and SET-Plan Action Point-7, in a sustainable manner. The ADVAGEN consortium comprises key EU actors in the battery sector, including industrial materials producers (CPT) and battery manufacturers (ABEE), R&D centres (IKE, CEA, IREC, TUBS, CICe, POLITO, INEGI, UL, FEV), and the automotive industry (TME), covering the entire knowledge and value chain. Their ultimate objective is to reestablish European competitiveness in battery cell production by designing high-performance, safe, cost-effective batteries.
The ADVAGEN project has focused on implementing a new solid-state battery technology. With different work packages (WPs), each team member has been dedicated to delivering their assigned tasks within set deadlines, and seven out of ten deliverables have already been approved. The development of the electrolyte, cathode, anode, and their integration in lab-scale cells was achieved. The production of sulfide materials has been optimised driven by the performance and purity; different ratios of sulfide and oxide have been studied to fulfil the KPIs, achieving ionic conductivities >2 mS/cm and cycling >2000 h. The cathode production parameters lead to a promising discharging capacity of 125 mAh/g in the solid-state system. An uncoated Li-metal anode has been tested, yielding average results. In the pilot line part, a state-of-the-art liquid-state system has progressively adapted to fulfil the ADVAGEN solid-state cells' arrangement. The positive direction of multiscale modelling tasks is also achieved during the first reporting period. Further, a development framework to define eco-design guidelines is still being developed. ADVAGEN partners are collecting and applying eco-design information parameters from current progress, literature, relevant references, and directives to cutting-edge technology in hybrid oxide-sulfide SSBs.
The ADVAGEN partners remain dedicated to achieving the project's objectives as one team. With regular communication, adherence to risk management practices, and a team dedicated to the project's success, the team is confident in overcoming any obstacle that may come their way.
The ADVAGEN partners remain dedicated to achieving the project's objectives as one team. With regular communication, adherence to risk management practices, and a team dedicated to the project's success, the team is confident in overcoming any obstacle that may come their way.
The resulting outcomes beyond the state of the art are expected in the upcoming months. So far, up to M18, the hybrid electrolyte shows ionic conductivity up to double that of the pure sulfide and longer cycling capability compared to a similar composition reported in the literature (more than 500 cycles in the project against the 100 reported in the literature). Further results and fundamental study of the process are expected in the coming months. On the cathode side, promising discharge capacities (up to 125 mAh/g) have been achieved in solid-state vs Li metal. Even if this value is lower than the KPIs of the project, further improvements are expected in the months to come, being, however, higher than similar chemistries reported in the literature.
The lithium metal anode has a limiting effect on the cell life. Uncoated lithium metal anode delivers inferior performance (Avg. CE ~92 % for 70 cycles). The next step is to incorporate artificial SEI coatings to improve cell performance. In the case of cell testing and safety assessments that have yet to start, the cell design and recipes, including the optimised ratio of the cathode, are already finished. However, as further trial activities continue, the design tasks are still actively continuous. The cathode and solid-state electrolyte-making trials are still running towards the optimisation using commercial and small-scale ADVAGEN materials, besides waiting for the optimised and upscaled materials for the larger Ah battery cells' production. While in multiscale modelling, the project aims to achieve results beyond the state of the art, which are also expected in the upcoming months/years of the project.
The life cycle, cost assessment, and recycling scoop focus on data collection and inventory construction, and the ADVAGEN project aims to provide a secure and normalised approach to data collection and more accessible inventory construction. These activities will provide a novel recycling solution for upcoming next-generation SSBs, which are currently unavailable, and the results from these works are expected in the coming months. The communication, dissemination, exploitation, and networking activities are designed to promote all ADVAGEN partners' research and development practices and maximise all results beyond the state of the art. The ADVAGEN project is also progressing in publishing a journal article addressing the perceived opportunities and challenges for Horizon Europe projects to cluster, named SOLID4B, and collaborate with other projects.
The lithium metal anode has a limiting effect on the cell life. Uncoated lithium metal anode delivers inferior performance (Avg. CE ~92 % for 70 cycles). The next step is to incorporate artificial SEI coatings to improve cell performance. In the case of cell testing and safety assessments that have yet to start, the cell design and recipes, including the optimised ratio of the cathode, are already finished. However, as further trial activities continue, the design tasks are still actively continuous. The cathode and solid-state electrolyte-making trials are still running towards the optimisation using commercial and small-scale ADVAGEN materials, besides waiting for the optimised and upscaled materials for the larger Ah battery cells' production. While in multiscale modelling, the project aims to achieve results beyond the state of the art, which are also expected in the upcoming months/years of the project.
The life cycle, cost assessment, and recycling scoop focus on data collection and inventory construction, and the ADVAGEN project aims to provide a secure and normalised approach to data collection and more accessible inventory construction. These activities will provide a novel recycling solution for upcoming next-generation SSBs, which are currently unavailable, and the results from these works are expected in the coming months. The communication, dissemination, exploitation, and networking activities are designed to promote all ADVAGEN partners' research and development practices and maximise all results beyond the state of the art. The ADVAGEN project is also progressing in publishing a journal article addressing the perceived opportunities and challenges for Horizon Europe projects to cluster, named SOLID4B, and collaborate with other projects.