Tag: Liquid

2015 / 2019 – Reference: H2020-NMP-GV-2014 – project n°666157

It aims to develop an innovative battery technology capable of meeting the needs of the European automotive industry in line with the European materials roadmap. The project aims to design batteries capable of reaching 500Wh/Kg in stable LiS cells.

It includes activities dedicated to durability, testing and life-cycle analysis that will ensure the safety and adequate cyclability of the batteries developed at a cost that should remain competitive. Initial materials research will be intensified during the course of the project, so that pilot-scale quantities of materials will be introduced into the new cell architectures, contributing to the advancement of the state of the art.

The project’s approach will enable real breakthroughs to be made in terms of components, cell integration and associated architecture. New materials will be developed and optimised for the anode, cathode, electrolyte and separator. Complete panels of specific tools and associated modelling will be developed from the single cell to the battery pack. Activities will focus on the development of new materials and processes at TRL4 level.

The lithium-sulphur technology will be demonstrated up to battery level, with on-board validation. Validation of the prototype (17kWh) with its corresponding range (100km) will take place on track. ALISE is more than a linear bottom-up approach from materials to the cell. This project aims to lay the foundations of solid resources for obtaining stable unit cells, with an additional top-down approach from the final application to the optimisation of the unit cell.

Thanks to their high theoretical energy density and cost-effectiveness, lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are viable candidates for commercialization among all post-Li-ion battery technologies. But despite our best efforts, there are still problems to be solved… Some technological aspects, such as the development of host matrices, the interactions of the host matrix with polysulfides and the interactions between sulfur and electrolyte, have been successfully developed as part of the Eurolis project. The open porosity of the cathode, the interactions between host matrices and polysulfides, and the appropriate solvation of polysulfides all proved important for the full utilization of sulfur.We have also shown that effective electrode separation enables stable cycling with excellent coulombic efficiency. The remaining questions are mainly related to the stability of the lithium anode during cycling, the engineering of the complete cell and issues concerning the implementation of LSB cells in commercial products (ageing, safety, recycling, batteries). The instability of lithium metal in most conventional electrolytes and the formation of dendrites due to the uneven distribution of lithium during deposition are at the root of several safety problems, directly attributable to dendrites and low coulombic efficiency due to a constant increase in internal resistance linked to electrolyte degradation. Stabilizing the lithium metal and the interface layer will therefore have a major impact.