Search

Secondary zinc-air batteries (ZABs) offer a promising alternative for the future of sustainable energy storage. However, the current capability of secondary ZABs is far from satisfactory. The limitations for achieving high reversibility are mainly related to the bifunctional air electrodes as it severely hampers practical applications and commercialization of secondary ZABs. Many efforts have been devoted to the development of efficient and corrosion resistant bifunctional electrocatalysts towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In ZABs, carbon is commonly used as conductive additive, however, it has been observed that carbon materials are not resistant to the high positive voltages applied in electrical recharge. In this work, the use of metallic nickel as alternative conductive additive in bifunctional air electrodes is explored and compared with carbon nanotubes (CNT). We demonstrate that the chemical resistance of CNT does not limit the electrode performance; but the density of the additive as well as its interaction with the active material is crucial for achieving long cycle life. The use of Ni as conductive agent in secondary ZABs boosted the cycle life by delivering more than 2,400 cycles, in contrast to the 88 cycles delivered by the analogous carbon-based battery. This work was supported by CDTI (ALMAGRID of the “CERVERA Centros Tecnológicos” program, CER-20191006), the Basque Country Government (CIC energiGUNE’20 of the ELKARTEK program, N° Exp. KK-2020/0078), the European Commission through the project ZABCAT “A New Zn-Air Battery Prototype to Overcome Cathode Degradation Through Catalyst Confinement” (grant agreement 966743) and the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación through the project AVANZA “Advanced Zn-Air Battery Prototype for the Energy Transition Horizon” (TED2021-131451B-C22). N. Ortiz-Vitoriano thanks Ramon y Cajal grant (RYC-2020-030104-I) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by FSE invest in your future.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have facilitated the transition to a more sustainable energy model. Paradoxically, current high energy cathodes are industrially processed using organic solvents, which are deleterious for the environment. In this work, LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 (NMC622) high-energy cathode electrode was prepared at laboratory scale following a more environmentally friendly aqueous route. Several steps in the preparation of the electrodes (such as the drying temperature, drying air flux or pH buffering) were thoroughly optimized to enhance the quality of the water-processed electrodes. Afterwards, the recipe developed at laboratory scale was upscaled to a semi-industrial electrode coating line, to analyze the viability of the developed processing conditions into a realistic electrode manufacturing environment. The electrodes obtained were tested in full coin cells using graphite-based anodes as counter electrodes. Interestingly, the cycling performance of the cells based on water-processed electrodes was higher than that of organic-processed ones. It is evidenced that it is possible to manufacture electrodes for high energy density LIBs following environmentally friendly, cheaper, and industrially implementable electrode processing methods with no-penalty in the electrochemical performance. This work has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreements No 769929 (IMAGE) and No 814464 (Si-DRIVE).

International audience; Nowadays, lithium-ion battery design and manufacturing are supported more and more by modelling and simulation. In this context, tortuosity has become a critical parameter characterizing porous battery electrode, in particular for those phenomena involving microstructure-performance relationships. The modelling and simulation of such processes, including also performance characterization, requires an accurate and reliable estimation of tortuosity values to obtain meaningful results, but taking into account the experimental framework. In this work, we present our findings on the determination of tortuosity for a porous commercial-based NMC622 cathode using an intercalating electrolyte, LiPF6 in commonly used EC:EMC solvents, at different temperatures (-10 to 45 degrees C) and electrolyte concentrations (0.50 to 1.5 M), similar to those that can be found in a commercial lithium-ion battery. The approach followed, based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements in symmetric cells, reveals that it is possible to obtain reliable tortuosity values at practical operating experimental conditions found in commercial lithium-ion batteries, like different temperatures and electrolyte concentrations. In this sense, the use of modified ionic resistance vs conductivity logarithmic plots provides a way to consolidate the tortuosity measurement compared to single points (c, T), for which large point to point variations have been observed. Furthermore, the comparison of the tortuosity values obtained with those obtained using a non-intercalating electrolyte, TBAPF(6) in EC:EMC, which are of the same order, attests for the validity of our approach.

Thermal runaway of three lithium ion cells (“A” - NCA/Graphite, “B” - LFP/Graphite, “C” - NCA/LTO) at 0%, 50%, and 100% state of charge (SOC) is studied by Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC). Thermal behaviour of harvested positive and negative electrodes at three SOC (0%, 50%, and 100%) is analyzed using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Thermal stability of recovered separators is also investigated by DSC. Harvested electrodes and separators are studied alone and in contact with a liquid electrolyte. The thermal behaviour of each component and its contribution is quantified and thoroughly discussed. A crucial negative impact of the state of charge and presence of highly flammable liquid electrolyte on the thermal instability of the investigated cells and “electrode - electrolyte” systems is clearly revealed. Among studied cells, LiFePO4/Graphite one is the safest due to intrinsic thermal stability of lithium iron phosphate LiFePO4 based cathode and despite the fact of using a microporous polyolefin separator with limited thermal stability.

All-solid-state batteries (SSB) emerge as a promising candidate to exceed the performance of conventional lithium ion batteries (LIB) due to their improved energy density, durability and safety. However, very few reports have demonstrated a long-term stable cycling and safety of pouch SSB. Herein, solid state pouch cell with nominal capacity of 0.3 Ah is successfully developed employing current-collector-free thin Li metal anode, double-sided composite LiFePO4 cathode, and garnet-rich composite solid electrolyte (CSE) containing a doping of Li7La3Zr1.75Nb0.25O12 garnet in a ratio 1:1 relative to poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) host polymer, and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt. All-solid-state Li/CSE/LiFePO4 prototype pouch cells tested under 0.2C/0.5C protocol at 60°C exhibit long cycle life (>4,100 cycles) and excellent safety attributed to the improved electrochemical properties, thermal and mechanical stability of the garnet-rich CSE. To the best of our knowledge, this is the longest lifetime up to date reported for bulk Li metal SSB. These outstanding results may pave the way for industrial development of advanced Li metal SSB towards practical application.

Lithium-ion batteries have been implemented worldwide in portable devices. Furthermore, they are strong candidates to facilitate the upcoming revolution associated with the electrification of vehicles. Nowadays, these cells are based on transition metal oxides in the positive electrode and graphite in the negative electrode. Despite focusing many efforts on developing novel materials for enhancing the performance of lithium-based batteries, there is still room for improvement by working on the electrode characteristics with widely industry-implemented and trustable state-of-the-art materials. In this work, we developed and characterized graphite electrodes with bi-layered structure consisting of two layers with different porosity. These electrodes were tested both in half and full coin cell configuration, the latter using LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 as the positive electrode. Regular single-layer graphite electrodes with the same average porosity and loading were also elaborated and tested for comparison. Galvanostatic cycling, power tests and impedance spectroscopy were combined with post-mortem characterization to understand the influence of the multi-layer structure onto the electrochemical response. Results show that the bi-layered structure provides enhanced capacity retention during the beginning of life of cells. However, this advantage is lost when the repeated lithiation-delithiation cycles of graphite affect the pore size of the lower porosity layer. In any case, it is evidenced that by modulating the coating method and therefore the macroscopic properties of graphite, it is possible to have a significant impact on its electrochemical characteristics. This should be of high interest for battery manufacturers facing the uncertainties associated with the processing and implementation of novel materials.

Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) are highly attractive due to their high volumetric capacity, relatively low cost, and enhanced safety. Significant progress in the development of RMBs was the introduction of nonaqueous electrolyte solutions that enable reversible electrodeposition of Mg metal. These solutions contain a unique mixture of organo−aluminum and chloro−aluminum species. While these solutions are shown to be stable during cathodic polarization, the presence of chlorine anions in the solution can promote the corrosion process during the anodic polarization. Among all the cell components, the cathode current collector is most prone to corrosive processes. In this study, we characterize the corrosion behavior of different metallic current collectors in standard APC (All-Phenyl Complex) electrolyte solutions by following their electrochemical response and surface morphology changes during anodic polarization. In addition, we investigate the influence of carbon coating on the corrosive behavior of Ni metal. The study shows the efficacy of carbon coating on the current collector. We demonstrate that Ni@C current collector possesses higher corrosion pit initiation potential (2.25 V vs Mg/Mg2+) with respect to the uncoated metallic foils. Improving the anodic stability of the current collectors is a crucial step in the development of a practical rechargeable Mg battery.

The influence of the solvent used in the processing of Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2 Li-rich electrodes has been thoroughly studied using complementary chemical, structural and electrochemical characterization techniques. Structural characterization has demonstrated that the bulk chemical composition and the structure of the material remain unchanged when processing the electrode in organic and aqueous media. 6Li solid state NMR measurements revealed that no perceptible variations of the signal positions and intensities were observed for the different samples, indicating the absence of H+/Li+ ionic exchange upon water exposition. Full coin-cells with the waterborne and organic processed Li-rich cathodes and graphite anodes delivered exceptional capacity retention during more than 250 cycles at 100% depth of discharge. This study proves that water-based binders can be used both for the anode and the cathode formulations of the next generation of Li-ion batteries.

Summary Electricity will increasingly be produced from sources that are geographically decentralized and/or intermittent in their nature. In consequents, there is an urgent need to increase the storage of energy to guarantee the continuity of energy supply. Rechargeable zinc-air battery is a promising technology due to the high theoretical energy density and the abundant and environmentally benign materials that are used. In the state of the art, the information about secondary zinc anode for rechargeable zinc-air batteries is scarce. The main development of the technology has been lately concentrated on the bifunctional air electrodes while the used zinc anode is mainly based on a planar zinc electrode providing low specific energy densities for the full system. This overview compiles the available information in the literature regarding the development and manufacturing of zinc anodes for electrical rechargeable batteries applications, where secondary porous zinc electrodes are generally desired. In this context, the zinc-based anode electrode composition (namely, active material, binder, conductive material, current collector, and additives), pretreatments, and processing techniques are described and their impact on the zinc anode performance analyzed.

The development of novel solid electrolytes, which can be processed using solvent-free methods, is one of the keys for successful industrialization of solid state batteries and their further implementation in electrical vehicles. Here, we study thermoplastic solid state electrolytes based on polyethylene oxide (PEO), 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PYRTFSI), lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) and two inorganic fillers with different morphology and nature (modified sepiolite (TPGS-S) and garnet-type LiLaZrNbO (LLZNO) prepared by solvent free extrusion method. Several thermoplastic polymer electrolytes (TPEs) are prepared and comprehensively studied. Composite thermoplastic electrolyte TPE-S10G10 containing 10 wt% of TPGS-S and 10 wt% of LLZNO fillers shows the best electrochemical performance in Li-LiFePO solid state batteries operating under 0.2C/0.5D cycling conditions at 60 &Deg;C. Solid state cell with TPE-S10G10 electrolyte retains 80% of initial discharge capacity after 540 cycles. Thus, a synergetic effect of using two different fillers, which can be exploited during the development of TPEs, is clearly demonstrated., This study was supported by the Comunidad de Madrid (Project Ref. LIQUORGAS-CM, S2013/MAE-2800). Francisco González is grateful to CONACYT-SENER for the scholarship granted (CVU559770/Registro297710).

The positive electrodes based on nano- and micrometric carbon coated LiFePO 4 (LFP) powders are prepared via aqueous slurry processing using “normal” and “intensive” mixing procedures. The XRD, XPS, and electrochemical characterization reveal that the “intensive” mixing process improves the discharge C-rate capability of the n-LFP cathode however provokes formation of an undesirable thin surface layer enriched by Fe 3+ species. The waterborne graphite anodes and LiFePO 4 cathodes for the energy and power cells are being developed, upscaled and manufactured on a pilot plant. Energy LiFePO 4 /C pouch cells demonstrate outstanding durability maintaining 80% of initial discharge capacity (IDC) after 7450 and 2400 full cycles under 1D and 4D discharge currents, respectively. Moreover, further cycling of the energy cell working under 1C/4D protocol reveals its extra-long secondary life (70% of IDC on 9200 th cycle). Power LiFePO 4 /C pouch cell shows long lasting cycle life retaining 80% of IDC after 3350 cycles under harsh cycling conditions (3C/8D). The reported results are being achieved despite confirmed water release from lithium iron phosphate cathodes to the electrolyte. Finally, viability of aqueous processing of the electrodes without sacrificing electrochemical performance of LiFePO 4 /C batteries is clearly proven.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is a widely used technique to study surface chemistry and ageing mechanisms of LiNixMnyCozO2 (NMC) based cathodes of lithium ion batteries. Analysis of the literature, however, reveals common problems in interpretation of their XPS spectra: (1) confusion of Ni2p spectra with Auger electron spectra (FKLL) of fluorine from commonly used PVdF binder and from decomposition of the fluorinated electrolyte components, when the XPS spectra are acquired with Al Kα X-ray source; (2) ambiguous fitting of the XPS spectral lines with several Lorentzian-Gaussian shapes leads to doubtful assignments of the oxidation states and questionable conclusions on the ageing mechanisms of the electrode materials. Revisiting the XPS data from aged NMC electrodes emphasizes the contribution of LiF and downplays the effect of nickel and manganese fluorides in the formation of cathode-electrolyte interface. To quantify Ni2+/Ni3+ ratio we introduce a novel method based on the ratio between Ni2p3/2 main peak intensity and intensity of the shake-up satellite. Applying this approach for commercial NMC333, NMC532, NMC622 and NMC811 powder materials we find good correlation with theoretically predicted values for freshly made materials.

This research reports the synthesis of nanocomposite solid polymer electrolytes (ncSPEs) for solid state lithium metal batteries. These materials are composed of a controlled hybrid organic-inorganic network of glycidyl POSS® and Jeffamine® ED2003, in which linear high molecular weight poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) chains are entangled to improve both mechanical and electrochemical properties of the ncSPE. Synthesis and preparation of self-standing membranes are achieved with a facile one-pot catalyst-free method with considerably reduced amount of organic solvent, which is a plus toward a future scale-up. We found that the component ratio plays a crucial role in ncSPEs’ performance as a simple variation (i.e. cross-linking degree) is sufficient to completely change the electrochemical behavior of the solid state cell. For instance, increasing POSS® amount guarantees better resistance to lithium dendrites penetration, better electro-oxidation stability, and significantly extends cycle life in Li/ncSPE/LiFePO4 solid state cells. Furthermore, besides improving cell performance at higher C-rate of Li/LiFePO4 cells, this PEO-based ncSPE gives better response than reference PEO-LiTFSI electrolyte in high voltage Li/LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 cells with up to 10 cycles at 60 °C with discharge capacity retention above 80%. Despite the poor performance, to the best of our knowledge, this electrolyte is one of the few examples of PEO-based solid polymer electrolytes being capable of cycling with high voltage cathodes.

The EU-funded collaborative MARS-EV Project (FP7, grant agreement 609201) has been targeting inter alia the realization of aqueous electrode processing technologies for high-energy lithium-ion positive electrodes with a particular focus on achieving the high recycling requirements established by the European Commission in its Battery Directive 2006/66 EG, stipulating a minimum recycling rate of 50%. Indeed, the aqueous electrode fabrication does not only allow for avoiding the use of environmentally hazardous, toxic, and expensive organic solvents as well as the need for super-dry conditions up to the cell assembly, but moreover a facilitated recycling process due to the water-soluble binding agents. Additionally, of great importance with regard to the latter is the careful selection of the cathode chemistry – not least with respect to economic aspects. Herein, we summarize the results and progresses obtained within MARS-EV, highlighting their importance for the realization of environmentally friendly lithium-ion batteries for a sustainably electrified transportation.

A polymer/ionic liquid thermoplastic solid electrolyte based on poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), modified sepiolite (TPGS-S), lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), and 1-Butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PYR14TFSI) ionic liquid is prepared using solvent free extrusion method. Its physical-chemical, electrical, and electrochemical properties are comprehensively studied. The investigated solid electrolyte demonstrates high ionic conductivity together with excellent compatibility with lithium metal electrode. Finally, truly Li-LiFePO4 solid state coin cell with the developed thermoplastic solid electrolyte demonstrates promising electrochemical performance during cycling under 0.2 C/0.5 C protocol at 60 ◦C., This study was supported by the Comunidad de Madrid (Project Ref. LIQUORGAS-CM, S2013/MAE-2800). Francisco González is grateful to CONACYT-SENER for the scholarship granted (CVU559770/Registro 297710 and S2013/MAE-2800).

H2S is a well known poison for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. In this work we have found that the severity of H2S poisoning depends on H2S concentration, dosage, cell temperature and anode humidification. We found catalyst poisoning by H2S was cumulative and highly irreversible. After poisoning, further cell operation on neat hydrogen resulted only in modest performance recovery. Full recovery could usually be attained after repetitive cyclic voltammetry between 0 and 1.4 V. We discuss improvements of cell tolerance to H2S and performance recovery using other strategies, such as holding the cell at open circuit and anode air bleed during operation. We discuss the possible implications of H2S crossover on cathode performance.

Operating polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) on ultra high purity hydrogen (UHP) and clean air would be ideal. However, producing UHP H2 may be cost prohibitive and therefore tradeoffs between hydrogen clean up and fuel cell cost and durability need to be explored. Hydrogen for wide spread fuel cell commercialization will likely primarily come from reforming of fossil fuels, at least initially. The reformation of hydrocarbon fuels such as methane or coal produces impurities. The concentration and type depend on the fossil fuel and the reformation process. We have tested a fuel specification, listed in Table 1, provided by the US FreedomCar Tech Team as a function of different Pt anode loadings. These loadings were in line with the Department of Energy's 2010 and 2015 technical targets. Our findings indicate that NH3 and H2S are responsible for the majority of performance losses. We observed an increase in the high frequency resistance suggesting ammonium poisoning of the membrane, and cyclic voltammetry showed a large oxidation peak (>0.8V), which suggests sulfur poisoning of the anode. CO was not found on the surface at long exposure times.

We have studied the effects of H2S and fuel impurity mixtures on hydrogen polymer fuel cell performance. The tests included a range of H2S concentrations, exposure times, and multiple impurity mixtures at various operating conditions such as cell voltage and times of exposure. Analytical methods included fuel cell polarization experiments, cyclic voltammetry, and effluent water and gas analysis using specific ion sensor probes. H2S concentrations as low as 10 ppb, produced negative effects on fuel cell performance. The extent of sulfur poisoning of the anodes was also shown to be a strong function of fuel cell operating voltage during H2S exposure.

In the Spheripol process (Basell), high impact polypropylene (hiPP) is produced in two stages in series. First, isotactic polypropylene (i-PP) particles are produced in liquid propylene. These particles are transferred to a gas phase fluidized bed reactor where the elastomeric phase is produced within the isotactic polypropylene. The particulate product obtained in the commercial process is heterogeneous. This heterogeneity may be deleterious for the product performance. In this work, the origins of product heterogeneity were studied combining a detailed characterization of the product sampled from the exit lines of the homopolymerization stage (i-PP particles) and the fluidized bed reactor (hiPP particles) of a commercial unit with a mathematical model of the process. It was found that the experimental results were consistent with equally accessible active sites of uniform activity, the residence time distribution of the catalyst in the different reactors playing the major role in product heterogeneity.

An extensive characterization (SEM, AFM, mercury porosimetry, sorption, and 13C NMR) of the particle morphology prior (isotactic PP particles) and after the gas phase reaction (hiPP particles) was performed in an attempt to gain some knowledge of the gas phase reaction of the hiPP process. It was found that the majority of the elastomer was finely dispersed in the i-PP matrix, but breaking the i-PP matrix and flowing into its pores. It was also found that the interior of the particles was readily accessible to the monomers because of the existence of a network of pores. The catalyst fragmented into small pieces with about ≈210 atoms of Ti per fragment. The copolymer is richer in ethylene than in propylene although the monomer concentration around the active center is [C3]/[C2] = 2.75. This behavior could not be justified on the basis of a faster diffusivity of the ethylene with respect to the propylene and hence must be due to higher activity of the catalyst for ethylene.

The current lithium ion battery (LIB) technology has reached a very high degree of development and market share [1, 2]. However, several important bottlenecks still impede further spreading of lithium ion batteries into the EV market [2, 3]. Among them, their relatively high price and negative environmental impact have been addressed in this work. In particular, at the electrode manufacturing stage, the replacement of toxic and expensive N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solvent by water is considered an innovative and promising approach to reduce both the environmental impact and the final price of the batteries [4] without sacrificing electrochemical performance [5]. Here, we report the development of a large format LiNixMnyCozO2 (NMC) - Graphite (C) pouch cell, with both electrodes prepared via aqueous processes using waterborne binders. The NMC-Graphite electrochemical system was chosen because it is considered as one of the most promising combinations for large format batteries for EV applications, in which both active materials are compatible with aqueous binders [6]. The positive electrode was composed of a commercial NMC (111) material. The negative electrode was prepared on the basis of C-NERGY™ ACTILION_1 graphite (IMERYS Graphite & Carbon) specially developed for better processability in aqueous slurries. Waterborne PVdF latexes (SOLVAY SPECIALTY POLYMERS ITALY) have been used as binders for both electrodes. Commercially available sodium carboxymethyl cellulose has been used as a dispersant for negative and positive electrode slurries. The formulation and design of the positive and negative electrodes was tailored to meet the MAT4BAT European project tasks and cell specifications. The negative and positive electrode slurries with elaborated formulations have been successfully scaled up to 3 and 6 kg, respectively. Then, more than 100 metres length double-side coated electrode rolls have been manufactured on a coating pilot line. Finally, several NMC/Graphite pouch cells with a stack design were assembled on automated pilot equipment. As shown in Figure 1, the manufactured NMC/C pouch cell with nominal capacity 17 Ah has demonstrated promising C-rate capability and stable long term cyclability with no negative influence of the aqueous processing. It should be noted that obtained specific energy density of 143 Wh/kg (@ 0.2C discharge) is very close to the commercial benchmark as defined within the MAT4BAT EU project. Thus, presented results allow for the conclusion that aqueous processing is a successful approach for manufacturing large format NMC-Graphite lithium ion cells for EV applications. The study has been performed within the MAT4BAT project funded by the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement #608931. We would like to acknowledge Celaya, Emparanza y Galdós Internacional S.A. for the manufacturing of the NMC/C pouch cells. References: EUROBAT E-mobility Battery R&D Roadmap 2030, http://www.eurobat.org/sites/default/files/eurobat_emobility_roadmap_lores_2.pdf LUX Research press release: http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/next-generation-batteries-beyond-li-ion-will-be-worth-10-billion-in-2030-2078054.htm R Van Noorden, Nature 507 (7490) 26-28. D.L. Wood et al., J. Power Sources, 275 (2015) 234-242. A. Kvasha et al., C-LiFePO4 / Graphite pouch cell based on aqueous processed electrodes (P-064), in: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Advanced Lithium Batteries for Automobile Applications; 2015, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2; Bilbao (Spain), p. 115. N. Loeffler et al., J. Power Sources, 248 (2014) 915-922. Figure 1

In order to make the electric car appealing for the average consumer, it is mandatory to offer a vehicle capable of running for about 200 km with a single charge, to avoid long and unpopular recharging times. But not only energy density, also the battery lifetime is a key element and a minimum lifetime of 4000 cycles in an 80% DoD window in typical automotive conditions, over 10-15 years, is also the goal for new battery materials. Li-ion batteries today exceed at least by a factor of 2.5 any competing technology thanks to the high value of energy density, i.e. 150 Wh/kg and 650 Wh/L. Although already in the market place, lithium batteries still require progress to meet the stringent requirements of the electric transportation market: e.g. increase of energy density and significant enhancement of service life on both cell level (standardization of cell design, cell chemistry, material costs) and battery level (module design, battery management system with active cell balancing, packaging, thermal management system) thanks to innovative materials and technologies and optimization of process characteristic. Research and development activities within MARS-EV (Materials for Ageing Resistant Li-ion High Energy Storage for the Electric Vehicle) FP7 European project aims to overcome the ageing phenomenon in Li-ion cells by focusing on the development of high-energy electrode materials (250 Wh/kg at cell level) via sustainable scaled-up synthesis and safe electrolyte systems with improved cycle life (> 3000 cycles at 100%DOD). Through industrial prototype cell assembly and testing coupled with modelling, the understanding of the ageing behaviour at the electrode and system levels will be improved. Finally, it will address a full life cycle assessment of the developed technology. The scientific and technological cooperation of the MARS-EV consortium covers the complete value chain from raw material processing, scientific comprehension, technological research and battery manufacturing. The research institutions (IK4-Cidetec, Helmholtz Institute Ulm, ENEA, CTP, Fraunhofer-ISE) and universities (Politecnico di Torino, Tel Aviv University, Imperial College, Oxford Brookes) provide complementary skills in new electrode and electrolyte materials, microstructural and electrical modelling and life cycle assessment. The industrial partnership combines specialty chemicals suppliers (Johnson Matthey, SGL Carbon, Solvionic) to battery manufacturers (Lithops, Cegasa), battery pack integrator (Johnson Matthey Battery Systems) and recycler (Recupyl). An overview on the research and achievements during the first 6 months of the 48-month workprogram will be provided. The research lines followed include: Synthesis of novel nano-structured, high voltage cathodes: LiFexMn(1-x)PO4 with in-situ Carbon coating; Mn, Co and Ni phosphates; Li-rich NMC with low Cobalt content. Development of high capacity anodes: nanosized Silicon alloys (Si/C) and metal ferrites; protective coating to avoid degradation. Development of green and safe, high-performing electrolyte chemistries: additives for safe high voltage cathode operation; ionic liquids; high conductive reinforced polymers. Study of the ageing and degradation processes with the support of modelling, in order to improve the electrode and electrolyte properties and, thus, their reciprocal interactions and their effects on battery lifetime. Realization of up to B5 format pre-industrial pouch cells with optimized electrode and electrolyte components and eco-designed durable packaging. Acknowledgement: Project financially supported by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission under Grant Agreement No. 609201.

not Available.

not Available.