The Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS conducts applied research on high-performance ceramics. The institute‘s three sites in Dresden and Hermsdorf (Thuringia), Germany, collectively represent Europe‘s largest R&D institute dedicated to the study of ceramics.

As a research and technology service provider, the Fraunhofer IKTS develops advanced high-performance ceramic materials, industrial manufacturing processes as well as prototype components and systems in complete production lines up to the pilot-plant scale. In addition, the research portfolio also includes materials diagnostics and testing. The test procedures in the fields of acoustics, electromagnetics, optics and microscopy contribute substantially to the quality assurance of products and plants.

Project participation

The Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST focuses on research and development in the fields of material synthesis and functionalization, surface treatment and modification, coating technologies and characterization, and production technology. Within the department “Process and Production Technologies for Sustainable Energy Storage”, battery research is set as the central topic, focusing on material and energy storage development and the associated process technologies. Further key areas of research include the holistic design of factory systems and life cycle management for energy storage systems. Since 2019 the institute has been operating the Fraunhofer Project Center for Energy Storage and Systems ZESS in Braunschweig together with the Fraunhofer IKTS and Fraunhofer IFAM.

One major focus of the research activities at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST is the manufacture of novel solid-state batteries. These activities cover the complete life cycle from raw material to battery recycling. As part of the funded start-up projects of the project center, ZESS, IST is currently conducting research on technologies for the acquisition and processing of data throughout the battery life cycle, scalable manufacturing technologies for ASSB, the simulation of complete battery cell factories, and the economic and ecological evaluation of processes and process chains. In the FestBatt cluster of competence for solid-state batteries, IST is responsible for the “Scalable production of sulfidic solid electrolytes” and is represented in the second project phase of the ProZell cluster of competence with the project, E-Qual.

Project participation

S2taR (Lead)

EVanBatter (Lead)

Action

The Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg develops materials and processes for a variety of applications and sectors on behalf of industry and makes with its resource-saving material solutions essential contributions to energy supply, climate protection, clean environment, biomedicine and adaptive systems. The focus is on glass, hybrid polymers, smart materials and materials based on renewable raw materials. Future-oriented battery materials and concepts for efficient stationary and mobile energy storage are provided by the Research and Development Center for Electromobility FZEB, which is part of Fraunhofer ISC. In cooperation with industrial and research partners, electrode materials, electrolytes and other cell components as well as processes for their production and processing up to pilot plant scale are developed.

Project participation

Die Weiterentwicklung bestehender Batterie-Zellsysteme sowie die Erforschung und Adaption neuartiger Ansätze für wieder aufladbare Batterien sind seit über 20 Jahren ein wesentliches Arbeitsgebiet der Gruppe „Batteriesysteme für Spezialanwendungen“ am ISIT. Im Fokus stehen dabei neue Materialien bzw. Materialrezepturen für Elektroden, neue Elektrolytsysteme und neue Separatoren. Ebenso sind weiterentwickelte Fertigungsprozesse, die zu einer Verbesserung der Zellperformance, einer Kostensenkung und/oder einer Verringerung umweltbelastender Emissionen führen, Gegenstand der Forschungsarbeiten.

Das ISIT hat über die Jahre eine flexible Fertigungsplattform aufgebaut, welche die praktische Umsetzung der Zellentwicklung ermöglicht. Neben der eigentlichen Zelltechnologie beschäftigt sich das ISIT bereits seit vielen Jahren auch mit der Integration von Zellen in Module und Batteriesysteme.

Project participation

greenBattNutzung

Fraunhofer IWS Dresden scientists focus their research on electromobility and stationary energy storage systems. Thanks to its know-how and the large variety of manufacturing technologies, the IWS team can essentially contribute to battery development processes and innovations in many areas of the process chain. The Advanced Battery Technology Center at IWS has been established to be capable to support enterprises with solutions today and in the future.

IWS services the complete process chain for the development of new battery cells with a focus on material, surface and laser technologies.

In the project ecoLiga Fraunhofer IWS contributes with its expertise in the area of structure-property relationships „from material to cell“. Besides characterization of carbon materials, also manufacturing of graphite electrodes and its evaluation in application relevant pouch cells will be focused.

Recycled active materials of state of the art lithium ion battery, as well as Lithium sulfur as next generation type of battery, will be investigated. In the project LOWVOLMON Fraunhofer IWS executes detection and analysis of volatile organic compounds in recycling processes. Suitable adsorbents will be evaluated and special filters will be developed.

Project participation

ecoLiga

LOWVOLMON

We stand for the responsible use of resources. Recovering recyclable materials from a product cycle and reintroducing them into a new cycle. This is the goal of our research. In particular, the targeted energy revolution, the mobility revolution and digitization are accompanied by an increased demand for specific raw materials, without which the respective technological functionalities cannot be realized. Together with industrial partners, we are developing efficient processes and technologies for the responsible use of the earth’s resources.

At Fraunhofer IWKS, different technologies for the recovery of material fractions from end-of-life products up to the pilot scale have been developed over the last years. A central process is the electrohydraulic shredding, in which hybrid components are separated in a material-specific manner. This enables easy separation of the individual material fractions with the available modular sorting system. The technology has been validated at the IWKS for a wide variety of material composites in recent years. Examples are electronic scrap (printed circuit boards), hard drives, lithium-ion batteries and spark plugs. Additional devices are also available for comminution, including a pilot-scale mill that works with impact, shock and shearing forces. Further units (4-shaft shredder, water jet cutting system) on a pilot scale were installed in the new technical center of the IWKS in 2020.

Project participation

HydroLIBRec (Lead)