Advanced, High Performance, Polymer Lithium Batteries for Electrochemical Storage (APPLES)

Research Project, 2011 – 2014

This project aims to the development at an initial industrial level of an advanced, lithium ion battery for efficient application in the sustainable vehicle market. The basic structure of this battery involves a lithium-metal (tin)-carbon, Sn-C, alloy anode, a lithium nickel manganese oxide, LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, cathode and a ceramic-added, gel-type membrane electrolyte. This battery is expected to meet the target of the topic that calls for innovative developments of lithium-based, automotive energy storage technologies improving energy density, cycle life, cost, sustainability and safety. To confirm this expectation, a strong European consortium exploiting the complementary experience of various interconnected unities, involving academic laboratories and industrial companies, has been established. The academic partners will address the work on the optimization of the basic, electrochemical properties of the electrode and electrolyte materials, while the industrial partners will focus on the determination of battery key aspects, such as: i) the value of energy density under a large size capacity configuration, ii) the definition of the safety by abuse test procedure protocols, iii) the overall cost, iv) the environmental sustainability and v) the recycling process. It is expected that these combined efforts will lead to the industrial production of a battery having an energy density of the order of 300 Wh/kg, a cost considerably lower than batteries already on the market, environmental compatibility and highly reduced safety hazard. In synthesis, this project compares well with others in progress worldwide for the development of lithium batteries directed to an efficient application in the sustainable vehicle market.