Third-party funded projects

4SBATT aims to develop a solid-state battery based on Na, rather than Li, representing the best solution in terms of four key parameters: sustainability, energy density (specific and volumetric), readiness of adoption (i.e. compatibility with existing Li-ion production lines) and safety.

To achieve such a challenging goal, 4SBATT will operate at the cross-section between inorganic chemistry, materials science, and engineering. My team and I will develop a combined computational and experimental approach based on density functional theory and in-situ x-ray diffraction during synthesis that will allow us to explore large amounts of temperature-dependent multicomponent phase diagrams for various classes of materials. Thereby, we will design and prepare novel Na-based inorganic compounds for positive electrodes, solid electrolytes and negative electrodes.

Then, the physical properties of materials and composite electrodes will be characterized to understand, improve and engineer their performances. Finally, we will assemble solid-state batteries, based on Na and sustainable elements such as Fe, Mn and Si, intrinsically safe due to the non-flammable solid electrolyte, and targeting record energy densities of 300 Wh/kg and 750 Wh/l at the cell level.

Duration: 2022 until 2027

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Matteo Bianchini (Chair of Inorganic Active Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage)

Sponsorship: European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant 2021

Due to their high gravimetric and volumetric energy density, all solid-state batteries (ASSB) with a metal lithium electrode and a solid ceramic electrolyte are considered the next step in battery technology. The FB2-AdBatt project aims to fabricate battery cells with continuously graded mixed cathodes by powder aerosol deposition (PAD). The battery design is characterized by electrochemical measurements and optimized based on models to maximize critical battery properties, such as current density and energy density. Further development of the PAD coating technology provides the basis for an economic evaluation regarding industrial implementation.

Duration: 11/2021 until 10/2024

Project partners:

• University of Bayreuth (Chair of Functional Materials, Chair of Electrical Energy Systems)
• Saarland University (Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology)
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Institute of Applied Materials - Materials and Biomechanics)

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Ralf Moos (Chair of Functional Materials)

Sponsorship: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) - Cluster of Competence for Solid-state Batteries (FestBatt)

Website: AdBatt - FestBatt

The project focuses on three qualification programs in the form of short-term modules (Modul-Batt), work process-oriented measures (APO-Batt) and offers for trainers (Coach-Batt). The qualification offers are designed to have a high degree of practical relevance and are developed by tandems consisting of a specialist partner (university or research institution) and a didactic partner (training provider) in iterative development processes and with the strong involvement of representatives of the target groups.

Duration: 05/2023 until 04/2028

Project partners:

• University of Bayreuth (Chair of Environmental Production Engineering)
• University of Applied Sciences Landshut
• Technical University of Munich (Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management)
• RWTH Aachen University (Chair and Institute of Industrial Engineering and Ergonomics)
• Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (Technology Transfer Center for E-Mobility)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology (IGCV)
• Bildungswerk der Bayerischen Wirtschaft gGmbH
• SKZ - KFE gGmbH
• Bayern Innovativ

Contact person: Gregor Ohnemüller (Chair of Environmental Production Engineering)

Sponsorship: Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)

Website: Battery Education Network Bavaria

The BALU project is developing a new type of aluminum-ion battery (AIB) that should offer advantages over lithium-ion batteries in terms of sustainability, cost and performance. In the laboratory, the aluminum-graphite dual-ion battery (AGDIB) has already shown promising results, with high C-rates and long life cycles. The aim of the project is to transfer the cell chemistry from the development stage in the laboratory with TRL3 to application-relevant cell concepts. This requires research activities with regard to the development and evaluation of suitable cell concepts, which on the one hand solve material-specific issues and on the other hand test the production possibilities for such battery cells. The aim of the project is to achieve TRL6 for the AGDIB cell and thus to be able to design pilot production in the foreseeable future. At the same time, questions of recyclability in terms of the circular economy must also be considered and requirements arising from application have to be transferred to the cell level.
The Chair of Systems Engineering for Electrical Energy Storage is contributing its expertise in the field of systems engineering here. On the one hand, the development process of the cells is to be supported by the application of requirements at battery level and, at the same time, the effects of innovations at cell level on the performance of the battery are to be mapped.

Duration: 11/2023 until 10/2026

Project partners:

• University of Bayreuth (Chair of Systems Engineering for Electrical Energy Storage, Chair of Electronics for Electrical Energy Storage)
• Technical University of Braunschweig (Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology (IISB)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films (IST)
• Sika Werke GmbH
• Alzner Automotive GmbH - Alzner Battery

Contact person: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jan Philipp Schmidt, Tobias Tietze (Chair of Systems Engineering for Electrical Energy Storage)

Sponsorhip: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) - Battery2020Transfer

Circularity³ aims to deliver recommendations for a successful implementation of environmentally beneficial circular economy measures. After a thorough conceptualization, the analysis of technological, economic and societal/political interactions within the circular economy will lead to a better understanding of socio-economic preconditions and a quantification of potential environmental benefits. This is achieved by breaking down the complexity of the circular economy concept into comparable but complementary case studies along the dimensions of value chains/implementation logic of CE measures, economic aggregation level and countries.

Electronics and electric vehicle batteries serve as one well established and one relatively new value chain, respectively, which will be exemplarily studied. The current state of circularity will be analyzed for these value chains on the innovation/micro, sector/meso and economy-wide/macro level for the participating countries of Germany, Thailand, Turkey, Chinese Taipei and Japan. This overview enables the identification of focus areas.

A large toolbox of scientific methods will be used by the partners to conduct case studies and gain a detailed understanding of the technological, economic and societal/political interactions within those focus areas. A comparison of similar case studies (a) in different countries, (b) on different levels and (c) with different application cases will lead to new and systematic insights for the specific focus areas.

After consolidation of results and evaluation on the system level, general recommendations will be provided. To ensure the usefulness and applicability of results, the research process is accompanied by a continuous exchange with relevant stakeholders covering the two application cases, the three economic levels and the participating countries. Furthermore, the stakeholders will receive results in the form of practical recommendations on how to advance the circular economy in their specific field of action as well as methods to measure progress and quantify environmental benefits.

Duration: 06/2023 until 05/2026

Project partners:

• University of Bayreuth (Chair of Ecological Resource Technology)
• Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI)
• National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technonology, Tsukuba (Japan)
• Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (Thailand)
• National Taiwan University, Taipeh (Taiwan)
• Yasar University, Bornova/ Izmir (Turkey)

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Christoph Helbig (Chair of Ecological Resource Technology)

Sponsorship: German Research Foundation (DFG)

Website: Circularity³

In the iLAB project, a new type of infrastructure is being developed in the field of battery testing. This systematically integrates computer-aided methods in the field of experimental characterization of batteries. This includes mathematical optimization, artificial intelligence methods, uncertainty analysis, statistical test planning and model predictive control. Interdisciplinary and networked work is used to accelerate development processes and find innovative solutions.

Duration: 09/2022 until 08/2025

Project partner:

• University of Bayreuth (Junior Professorship of Methods for Battery Management)
  
• Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH

Contact person: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Fridolin Röder (Junior Professorship of Methods for Battery Management)

Sponsorship: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

The project investigates polymeric and ceramic potassium solid electrolytes and electrode active materials as a basis for future battery cell systems.

The aim of the research network is to investigate and evaluate novel potassium-conducting polymeric and sulfidic solid electrolytes, potassium-based active materials and the potassium solid-state battery itself. Systematic investigations are to determine the relevant performance data and provide the basis for a competent assessment of possible areas of application.

Duration: 10/2023 until 09/2026

Project partners:

• University of Bayreuth (Chair of Inorganic Active Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage)
• University of Münster, Münster Electrochemical Energy Technology (MEET)
• Helmholtz Institute Münster
• Humboldt University of Berlin
• Justus Liebig University Gießen
• Wolfram Chemie GmbH

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Matteo Bianchini (Chair of Inorganic Active Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage)

Sponsorship: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) - Battery2020Transfer

Website: Research Portal University of Münster, Helmholtz Institute Münster

The project investigates the transport of electrons and ions in battery electrode materials as a function of their structure and grain size. We will synthesize materials with different dimensionality of the percolation channels and particle sizes, to unveil the impact of confinement on both carrier types by studying their mobilities. First-principles calculations and machine learning will be used to construct a multi-scale model of the transport of both carriers in these structures. This approach will uncover ways to link or decouple electron and ion transport, hinting at future rational design criteria.

The project is part of CRC1585: ​Structured functional materials for multiple transport in nanoscale confinements ​(MultiTrans).

Duration: 2023 until 2027

Project partners:

• Chair of Theoretical Physics VII (Prof. Dr. Harald Oberhofer)
  
• Chair of Inorganic Active Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage (Prof. Dr. Matteo Bianchini)
  

Sponsorship: German Research Foundation (DFG)

Website: CRC MultiTrans

This project establishes routes for the synthesis and self-assembly of mesoporous polymer Cubosomes with functional binding sites in the bicontinuous walls, which will be used for direct conversion to mesoporous carbon, transition metals, and metal oxides (or combinations thereof). The produced particles will be analyzed regarding chemical composition, morphology, and quality of the nanostructure. The materials will be tested in electro- and photocatalysis as well as electrodes for metal ion batteries.

Duration: 11/2023 until 10/2026

Contact person: Prof. Dr. André Gröschel (Chair of Polymer Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage)

Sponsorship: German Research Foundation (DFG)

Current lithium-ion battery systems are optimized specifically with regard to performance, energy density and costs. Aspects of a circular and recycling-friendly design of cells, modules and systems, in particular with regard to function-preserving remanufacturing, have not yet been considered.
In view of the sharp increase in battery system-related material flows due to their use in the growing electromobility market, the project aims to systematically analyze and derive design guidelines for recycling-friendly construction in order to enable closed, efficient battery system cycles with low raw material losses.

Duration: 12/2020 until 02/2024

Project partners:

• University of Bayreuth (Chair of Electrical Energy Systems, Chair of Environmental Production Engineering)
• Technical University of Braunschweig
• Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS)

Contact person: Gregor Ohnemüller (Chair of Environmental Production Engineering, leading), Tom Rüther (Chair of Electrical Energy Systems)

Sponsorship: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) - Cluster of Competence for Recycling & Green Battery (greenBatt)

Website: ReDesign - greenBatt

The main aim of the project is to build one of the largest German power-to-gas (PtG) plants in Wunsiedel and to turn it into a real-world laboratory for the future of energy through the Center for Energy Technology at the University of Bayreuth. The PtG concept is an important building block in sector coupling. Surplus electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power is used to produce hydrogen by means of electrolysis. This makes material storage feasible. The hydrogen can then be used in mobility or industrial applications with a time delay. The Wunsiedel site offers unique conditions for the proposed project thanks to the existing infrastructure of the energy park and the associated synergy and application potential.

The work of the ZET is aimed at optimizing the operation of PtG systems, taking into account the interconnection and combination possibilities with other energy generation units. This is being scientifically investigated using the Wunsiedel site as an example. Furthermore, concepts such as the production of synthetic fuels (so-called efuels) are being researched for a sustainable and economically viable expansion of the plant. The research work is carried out by four ZET scientists in the real laboratory at the Wunsiedel site. The doctoral students are supervised by the ZET chairs of Technical Thermodynamics and Transport Processes (LTTT), Chemical Process Technology (CVT), Electrical Energy Systems (EES) and Bioprocess Technology (BPT).

Duration: 01/2021 until 12/2024

Project partners:

• Universität Bayreuth (Center for Energy Technology)
• WUN H2 GmbH

Contact persons:

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Brüggemann (Chair of Engineering Thermodynamics and Transport Processes)
  
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Danzer (Chair of Electrical Energy Systems)
  

Sponsorship: Oberfrankenstiftung

Website: Center for Energy Technology (in German)