Autonomous Polymer based Self-Healing Components for high performant LIBs

Project Information

BAT4EVER

Grant agreement ID: 957225

DOI

10.3030/957225

Project closed

EC signature date 9 July 2020

Start date 1 September 2020

End date 29 February 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)

Total cost

€ 3 264 237,50

EU contribution

€ 3 264 237,50

Coordinated by

VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BAT4EVER (Autonomous Polymer based Self-Healing Components for high performant LIBs)

Reporting period: 2022-03-01 to 2024-02-29

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Electrochemical reactions in battery materials normally lead to structural changes, which may cause degradation and damage, and thus causing the loss of functionality of the battery with cycling. Next-generation electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries are especially prone to these failure mechanisms because they react with greater amounts of lithium and thus undergo more drastic structural changes.BAT4EVER refers to microscopic self-healing of the micro-damages generated during repetitive charging/discharging processes at the Silicon anodes, NMC-based cathodes and electrolytes aiming a significantly improved charge-discharge cycle and calendar
life of the Li-ion batteries.
BAT4EVER successfully overcome the application of synthesised self-healing polymer to stabilise Si NPs by coating them around during the electrode preparation. In addition to achieving self-healing anode electrode fabrication, BAT4EVER synthesised high-voltage stable core/shell NMC and successfully integrated self-healing polymer for long-term use.
BAT4EVER successfully modelled the synthesised self-healing polymer-Si NP interaction and applied comprehensive characterisation to both materials and electrodes. Furthermore, data were obtained from the small-scale electrode coin cell results and electrochemical modelling was accurately calculated to understand the electrochemical behaviour of the electrodes in pouch battery applications BAT4EVER has successfully fabricated multilayer pouch cells with anode and cathode electrodes containing self-healing polymer. In this context, the European Union is one step closer to more sustainable and more powerful new generation batteries within the scope of the Battery innovation road map.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Core-shell structured NMC cathode and electrode preparation with self healing polymer:
BAT4EVER has developed NMC core/shell cathode particles with the specified structure, composition, and morphology. In addition to the development of the core/shell NMC811/631 cathode active material (CAM), BAT4EVER has also developed electrode compositions that are self-healing polymers embedded in the electrodes. As a result of the electrode fabrication, the NMC cathode electrode containing self-healing polymer exhibited the same capacitive performance and greater cyclic performance compared with the NMC cathode electrode containing PVDF polymer.

Self-healing components and integration into the Si anode:
BAT4EVER successfully synthesised multiple self-healing polymers(SH) within the scope of the project. However, synthesising and characterising the self-healing polymer and integrating the self-healing polymer into the electrode system require different approaches. During the project, a good candidate (B-doped hydrogen-bonded PANI/PVA polymer) was identified and validated with the help of the systematic investigation. As a result, high-capacity Si anodes containing self-healing polymers were produced and the cells were successfully carried out more than 1000 cycles of charge-discharge at 1C rate.

Modelling & Simulation:
The interaction of B-doped hydrogen-bonded PANI/PVA polymer and Si at the molecular level was successfully modelled by the DFT approach. An accurate model was obtained by parameterising the scaled electrodes, and the behaviour of the pouch cells was successfully estimated by electrochemical modelling.

Assembly and manufacturing of prototypes:
In BAT4EVER, 2 different types of pouch cells were assembled. The SH anode and the SH cathode were used for all assembled cells. The only difference between the assembled cells was the electrolyte. In addition to the ionic liquid (IL), a commercial electrolyte was also used for comparison. Single-layer pouch cells, and multi-layer pouch cells with a capacity of 240 mAh were assembled with both IL and commercial electrolyte. The assembled pouch cells reached the same capacity without encountering any blocking mechanisms. BAT4EVER conducted a safety test on IL-containing pouch cells, and the cells passed all of the tests successfully. The best Life Cycle Assessment scenario was selected and according to the pouch cell results successfully calculated.

Throughout the BAT4EVER project, 11 articles were published. Results were presented in the conferences and events with 24 abstracts either as an oral speech or poster presentation.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Electrochemical batteries are important technological enablers to drive the transition towards a decarbonised society. Despite recent improvements in technical performance and economic affordability, battery cells and materials used still need substantial advancement on these areas to reach mass-utilisation. However, the global race is indisputably headed by the Asian industry, followed by the Americans. Europe cannot afford to lag behind and miss the growth and employment opportunities of the de-carbonised energy transition. BAT4EVER partnership is representative of the existing potential of a solid European batteries value chain, which is based on collaboration between different states. The innovative technology proposed by BAT4EVER can substantially advance electrochemistry for battery storage, strengthen European batteries value chain, export our products and root employment growth.

European players along the battery supply chain are involved in the project, showing the industrial commitment to grasping this opportunity. The project resulted in new advanced self-healing materials, cell components, battery cells applied to consumer electronics, offering better features and more competitive cycle life that will be exploited by participant industrial partners towards their respective upper link of the value chain. The main European industrial, research and policy platforms and other players along the value chain have expressed their full support to the project through the annexed Letters of Interest.

BAT4EVER contributes to the expected impacts listed in the Work Programme and LC-BAT-14-2020 topic, as well as other impacts aligned with the objectives of BATTERY 2030+ Second Draft Roadmap: “To reach to enhance the lifetime and the safety of battery cells and systems goals, BATTERY 2030+ suggests two different and complementary schemes: development of sensors probing chemical and electrochemical reactions directly at battery cell level and enhancing performance of batteries by using self- healing functionalities within battery cells”. In the roadmap, self-healing activities within the field of batteries have been included largely.

The project results reached maximum of TRL5 in both manufacturing and component development. The maturity level is higher in electrode manufacturing and cell prototyping. However, a clear gap is pointed for electrolyte development and electrolyte-separator coupling to accelerate time-to-market evolution and demonstrate the realistic energy density meaningful for large scale manufacturing. The prototype cells show outstanding safety as tested with IEC62133-2 standard representative for mobile phone use case.

BAT4EVER Logo

BAT4EVER prototype cells