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Advanced material solutions for safer and long-lasting high capacity Cobalt Free Batteries for stationary storage applications

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CoFBAT (Advanced material solutions for safer and long-lasting high capacity Cobalt Free Batteries for stationary storage applications)

Reporting period: 2021-05-01 to 2022-04-30

CoFBAT is an EU project aiming at the development of a novel solution for battery storage technology, which will strengthen the EU competitiveness in advanced materials and the related battery value chain by developing a powerful battery technology with no cobalt in the cathode and safe polymer high voltage electrolytes combined with a reliable anode technology. The proposed Cofbat technology will allow to achieve long lifetime cells ( >10.000 cycles), low cost ( 0.03€/kWh/cycle) and improved safety being validated in 21700 cells . In addition, the CoFBAT battery concept will enable to achieve a high recycling efficiency (>50%).
CoFBAT will allow to transfer systems to hybrid electric vehicles and last but not least will reduce dependence of materials from countries outside EU and improving social impact by not using raw materials coming from child labour force.
The overall objectives of CoFBAT are:
Development of new battery cells, with Improved lifetime (>20 years), reduced costs down to 0.03 €/kWh/cycle, improved cyclability (up to ≥10,000 cycles at 80% DoD) and improved safety due to non-layered cathode material
Testing and demonstrating of the new battery cells with respect to the targeted recyclability and LCA, cost below 300 euro/kwh at system level, demonstrated recycling efficiency of the battery cell above 50%.
Optimisation (from TRL 4 to TRL 6) of cobalt free high voltage cathode material based on LMNO, high voltaºge anode based on Si/C and TNO
Optimisation of (from TRL 4 to TRL 6) gel polymer stable at higher voltage and solvent free
Project is currently in month 30 and has had the last general assembly meeting in facilities at Leitat.
The main results for the second reporting period has been the achievement of the active materials for the new battery cell concept a high voltage cathode material ,and high voltage anode material based on optimized Si/C composite and doped TNO, gellifable binder and the definition on electrode compositions and set up for the cell configuration.
Compliance with specifications has been achieved being able to achieve 0.02 €/Kwh/cycle. Adaption of pilot line for processing of 21700 cells using novel gel electrodes and GPE separator has started.

CoFBAT has carried out LCA for the cell set up. Recyling concept developed has been tested verified.
Dissemination activities have continued through web page , publishing interviews. Two additional newsletters have been published . CoFBAT has participated in BAOBAB final event and has been present in Energy storage global conference 2021CoFBAT also has been present at H2020 Low TRL Smart Grids and Storage Projects Clustering workshop, H2020 Batteries Projects Clustering workshop .
In terms of material knowledge, the project has provided detailed characterization of the chemical and electrochemical stability of battery components and interfaces cycled at conditions fresh, conditioned, half-life and end-of-life)
CoFBAT has developed LMNO spinel, Li1.0Ni0.42Mn1.58O4. with a specific capacity of 133 mAh/gr. Currently discharge voltage of 4.7 V vs. Li/Li+ has been achieved. This Cobalt free cathode allows to reach scope of less expensive and more performant materials (50% reduction in cathode cost).
Gel polymer and GPE have been optimized for LMNO, SiG, TNO and Graphite..
CoFBAT has optimized an in situ produced Si-graphite anode material achieving a capacity of 959 mAh/gr.
CoFBAT has optimized a doped TiNb2O7 achieving a material with 280-260 mAh/gr.
COFBAT addresses advances beyond state or art in following areas:
Development and optimisation of materials :In terms of cathode materials, CoFBAT has achieved production of LMNO, cobalt free with a capacity of 130 mAh/gr in combination with gelifable electrode, having been met the scope of 50% reduction in material cost and having been produced so far up to 20 kg (TRL6).In terms of anode materials,CoFBAT has achieved developing a cobalt free anode based on TNO produced by ceramic process with a specific capacity of 250 mAh/gr. In addition, CoFBAT has advanced in an alternative anode based on Si/C avoiding swelling with a capacity of 1200 mAh/gr

Interfaces between cathode/electrolyte and Anode/Electrolyte :CoFBAT has advanced by development of strategies to characterize the interfacial characteristics/features adapted to gel electrolyte (to date almost inexistent) and identifying modes of failure before they occur in gel electrolyte.
Battery design and manufacturing: Target of CoFBAT is to achieve the status of TLR 6 to enable a timely realization of mass production.Cell concept is being transfered to 21700 cell production line
Battery recycling:,At month 30 of the project the recycling efficiency concept defined during the first reporting period , addressing 80-90% for Al, Cu, Mn, Ni and over 56% for lithium has been experimentally tested .

Modelling and testing :CoFBAT will improve understanding of gel electrolyte and drive the development of the battery cell from material development to cell design

Main impact of COFBAT is to provide a technical cost effective (0.03€ /kWh/cycle) safe solution for stationary storage battery systems with high cyclability . CoFBAT impacts i) market with more sustainable technology, II) technology with more competitive and safe products and improved innovation capacity for companies iii) environmentally by means of improved recycling and less footprint iv) socially by promoting qualified jobs.
Impact can be summarized in
Market impact: The technical improvements of CoFBAT (in energy density, life time, cost per cycle) wil positively allow to develop new energy storage systems that increase the flexibility of the grid, allow decentralized storage systems, opens market for residential photovoltaic installations to increase their independence from the utility company and minimize the CO2 footprint in industrial processes.
Based on the total cell cost, cobalt elimination already allows cost savings of about 20%. Furthermore, due to its higher average voltage the amount of lithium per Wh/kg is also significantly reduced (about 20-30% less lithium for equal cell energy compared to cells with NMC and NCA cathodes). The total costs for the LNMO based battery cells can be reduced up to a total of about 25%
Environmental impact :The CoFBAT project focus on more sustainable products, with a recycling efficiency beyond currently legal obligations, as established in the Batteries Directive (beyond 50%) . Important step is reduction of the environmental footprint of the fabrication process by eliminating the use of the toxic solvent NMP (which is on the list of Substances of Very High Concern SVHC) and reducing the process expenses in terms of solvent recycling.The CoFBAT project develops a recycling process that has been validated within the second period of project.
Social impacts CoFBAT develops a cobalt-free battery cell, contributes strongly to the socially and environmentally strong impact of developing a new generation of batteries which will be less dependence on the geopolitical instable cobalt mines.In order to maximize impact, CoFBAT was present at the “Battery Innovation Days” in November 2021. CICenergigune and Cidetec also attended the “23rd Edition of Batteries Event” in September 2021 and presented a poster. In addition updates of project have been published in bi annual newsletter.
CoFBAT presentation at ESGC21 by EASE