Periodic Reporting for period 3 - SIMBA (Sodium-Ion and sodium Metal BAtteries for efficient and sustainable next-generation energy storage)
Reporting period: 2023-05-01 to 2024-06-30
The SIMBA project, launched in January 2021, successfully integrated different concepts to create a safe, low-cost all-solid-state sodium battery technology. One of its key achievements was reconfiguring lithium-ion battery production lines to accommodate sodium-ion batteries while establishing a comprehensive recycling strategy. By the end of the project, the technology reached a readiness level (TRL) of 5, ensuring the final product's optimal functionality. Additionally, a strategy for future exploitation was developed to further advance the technology and prepare it for market rollout.
The project succeeded in several areas. It developed safer batteries using innovative Solid-State Electrolytes and pioneered the production of Single-Ion conducting Polymer Electrolytes (SIPEs). It also created more durable anodes with higher energy density through sustainable manufacturing methods. Ultra-low-cost Prussian White and high-energy layered oxide cathode materials were produced, all achieving TRL 5. Furthermore, the project deepened the understanding of degradation mechanisms at the Solid-Electrolyte-Interface (SEI) and within battery components.
Finally, the team successfully scaled up the technology to an operating battery module, which included a Battery Management System (BMS) to validate recyclability, performance, and life-cycle analysis. These efforts resulted in the development of a high-performance, sustainable, and recyclable sodium-based battery, suitablefor stationary energy storage.
The project succeeded in several areas. It developed safer batteries using innovative Solid-State Electrolytes and pioneered the production of Single-Ion conducting Polymer Electrolytes (SIPEs). It also created more durable anodes with higher energy density through sustainable manufacturing methods. Ultra-low-cost Prussian White and high-energy layered oxide cathode materials were produced, all achieving TRL 5. Furthermore, the project deepened the understanding of degradation mechanisms at the Solid-Electrolyte-Interface (SEI) and within battery components.
Finally, the team successfully scaled up the technology to an operating battery module, which included a Battery Management System (BMS) to validate recyclability, performance, and life-cycle analysis. These efforts resulted in the development of a high-performance, sustainable, and recyclable sodium-based battery, suitablefor stationary energy storage.
SIMBA aimed to develop a cost-effective, safe, all-solid-state sodium battery for stationary energy storage. The project’s key goals were to create safer batteries using a novel Solid-State Electrolyte (SSE) and single-ion conducting polymers (SIPEs), paired with high-energy anodes and low-cost, high-energy cathode materials. It also sought to understand degradation at the Solid-Electrolyte Interface (SEI) and integrate these components into scalable, eco-friendly production processes. Additionally, the project aimed to design and test a 12V, 1Ah battery module to validate material reuse, recyclability, and performance.
Over 42 months, despite challenges, the SIMBA team met most of the project’s objectives. Work packages (WP) 1, 2, and 3, which focused on KPIs, use cases, material reuse, electrolyte, anode and cathode development, and transport mechanisms, were fully completed. WP7 and WP8, covering dissemination, data management, and project coordination, were also fully realized.
WP4 was critical for bridging materials to the final battery system. It involved optimizing electrode and cell assembly, from baseline to solid-state cells. While the target capacity of 1Ah for solid-state cells wasn’t fully reached, smaller cells with 0.1Ah capacity were manufactured and tested, achieving 60% of this goal. Prismatic cells weren’t produced, but smaller versions met 90% of the objective.
WP5, focusing on cell performance testing and module design, faced significant delays due to the Ukraine war and transportation issues, with only one batch of aged cells reaching the partner YUN. Due to power outages, the target of 1,500 test cycles wasn’t met, and safety testing at WMG was limited, achieving about 90% of WP5’s goals. WP6, related to material recovery from solid-state cells, was not fully met.
Overall, SIMBA’s objective of integrating cell components and designing scalable production processes was 80-90% complete. The system design objective for a 12V, 1Ah battery module with BMS, aimed at validating recyclability and performance, reached about 60-70%. Meanwhile, objectives O1, O2, and O3 were fully accomplished.
The main progress towards the objectives of maximising the dissemination of the results, promote the project findings and contribute to the visibility of and synergies has been in maintaining the high level of visibility through the website and newsletters and in the participation of different partners in conferences and through the publication of papers.
Over 42 months, despite challenges, the SIMBA team met most of the project’s objectives. Work packages (WP) 1, 2, and 3, which focused on KPIs, use cases, material reuse, electrolyte, anode and cathode development, and transport mechanisms, were fully completed. WP7 and WP8, covering dissemination, data management, and project coordination, were also fully realized.
WP4 was critical for bridging materials to the final battery system. It involved optimizing electrode and cell assembly, from baseline to solid-state cells. While the target capacity of 1Ah for solid-state cells wasn’t fully reached, smaller cells with 0.1Ah capacity were manufactured and tested, achieving 60% of this goal. Prismatic cells weren’t produced, but smaller versions met 90% of the objective.
WP5, focusing on cell performance testing and module design, faced significant delays due to the Ukraine war and transportation issues, with only one batch of aged cells reaching the partner YUN. Due to power outages, the target of 1,500 test cycles wasn’t met, and safety testing at WMG was limited, achieving about 90% of WP5’s goals. WP6, related to material recovery from solid-state cells, was not fully met.
Overall, SIMBA’s objective of integrating cell components and designing scalable production processes was 80-90% complete. The system design objective for a 12V, 1Ah battery module with BMS, aimed at validating recyclability and performance, reached about 60-70%. Meanwhile, objectives O1, O2, and O3 were fully accomplished.
The main progress towards the objectives of maximising the dissemination of the results, promote the project findings and contribute to the visibility of and synergies has been in maintaining the high level of visibility through the website and newsletters and in the participation of different partners in conferences and through the publication of papers.
The SIMBA project aimed to make a significant impact in line with the goals outlined in the LC-BAT-8 call, focusing on developing new, affordable, and high-performance energy storage technologies. Over the past year, the commercialization of liquid electrolyte sodium-ion batteries by major companies such as CATL, BYD, and HiNa Batteries has underscored the importance of SIMBA's research efforts. SIMBA's focus was on advancing the next generation of safer and more sustainable all-solid-state sodium-ion batteries.
The successful completion of SIMBA's key deliverables has been crucial in meeting the battery performance targets needed for future development and market introduction. By integrating these deliverables, the project demonstrated 1,000 cycles in a full pouch cell while maintaining a capital expenditure (CAPEX) of approximately €60/kWh. This achievement sets the stage for sodium-ion batteries (SIB) to reach a cost below €0.06/kWh/cycle marking a major milestone for the technology.
In the final phase of the project, one of the key accomplishments was understanding and describing the interface-related aging mechanisms, with results published in deliverables D3.4 D3.6 and D3.7. Another significant achievement was the successful fabrication of a lab-scale cell from optimized materials, though the original 1Ah target capacity for solid-state cells was not reached. While the polymer was successfully upscaled in powder form, further research is recommended to process the material into membrane rolls for roll-to-roll application in pilot production.
The most critical characteristics of SIBs, such as increasing the power output and achieving a high C-rate (up to 1C or 2C) along with long life (up to 1,500 charge-discharge cycles), were addressed in SIMBA. The project delivered promising results with its baseline cell, and further progress was made with the solid-state cell, showing that sodium-ion technology could not only be a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries but a strong competitor as well.
The SIMBA consortium is confident that the technology developed in this project will become competitive in the coming years. An important aspect of the project was incorporating feedback from industrial partners to enable the implementation of SIB technology within their existing production lines.
The successful completion of SIMBA's key deliverables has been crucial in meeting the battery performance targets needed for future development and market introduction. By integrating these deliverables, the project demonstrated 1,000 cycles in a full pouch cell while maintaining a capital expenditure (CAPEX) of approximately €60/kWh. This achievement sets the stage for sodium-ion batteries (SIB) to reach a cost below €0.06/kWh/cycle marking a major milestone for the technology.
In the final phase of the project, one of the key accomplishments was understanding and describing the interface-related aging mechanisms, with results published in deliverables D3.4 D3.6 and D3.7. Another significant achievement was the successful fabrication of a lab-scale cell from optimized materials, though the original 1Ah target capacity for solid-state cells was not reached. While the polymer was successfully upscaled in powder form, further research is recommended to process the material into membrane rolls for roll-to-roll application in pilot production.
The most critical characteristics of SIBs, such as increasing the power output and achieving a high C-rate (up to 1C or 2C) along with long life (up to 1,500 charge-discharge cycles), were addressed in SIMBA. The project delivered promising results with its baseline cell, and further progress was made with the solid-state cell, showing that sodium-ion technology could not only be a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries but a strong competitor as well.
The SIMBA consortium is confident that the technology developed in this project will become competitive in the coming years. An important aspect of the project was incorporating feedback from industrial partners to enable the implementation of SIB technology within their existing production lines.