SiGNE

The SiGNE Project will deliver an advanced lithium-ion battery (LIB) aimed at the High-Capacity Approach targeted in this work program. Specific objectives are to:

– (1) Develop high energy density, safe and manufacturable Lithium-ion battery
– (2) optimize the full-cell chemistry to achieve beyond state-of-the-art performance
– (3) Demonstrate full-cell fast charging capability
– (4) Show high full-cell cycling efficiency with >80% retentive capacity
– (5) Demonstrate high sustainability of this new battery technology and the related cost effectiveness through circular economy considerations
– (6) Demonstrate high cost-competitiveness, large-scale manufacturability, and EV uptake readiness.

SiGNE will achieve these objectives by incorporating 30% Si as a composite where it is electrically connected to the Graphite in nanowire form. This will realize a volumetric ED of >1000 Wh/L when pre-lithiated and paired with a Ni-rich NCM cathode optimized to deliver 220 mAh/g. This will be further enabled by a specifically designed electrolyte to maximize the voltage window and enable stable SEI formation. A sustainable fiber-based separator with superior safety features in terms of thermal and mechanical stability will be developed. SiGNE will establish the viability of volume manufacturing with production quantities of battery components manufactured by the project end. The battery design and production process will be optimized in a continuous improvement process through full cell testing supported by modeling to optimize electrode and cell designs through manufacture as a prismatic cell and prototype testing by OEMs. (SOH) monitoring across the entire battery lifecycle will optimize safety 2nd use viability. SIGNE will go significantly beyond SoA with the recovery of anode, cathode, and electrolyte components. In this circular economy approach, recovered materials will be returned to the relevant work package to produce new electrodes. This project is a Horizon Europe Cluster 5 Project that starts on 1st September 2022 with a budget of € 7,979,282.50.

AMBER Researcher & Coordinator: Kevin Ryan UL

Project Website: https://signehorizon.eu/