Project HighSpin to develop cobalt-free batteries
A research project taking off in Europe titled ‘HighSpin’, will analyze the development of cobalt-free batteries with high power density for road and air transport, coordinated by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT).
The overall objective is to increase the energy density and power density of batteries in order to meet the requirements of electromobility. The aim is to develop a cobalt-free cell that has an anode made of silicon/graphite and a cathode made of lithium-nickel-manganese oxide. The plan is to realise a cell with an energy density of 390 Wh/kg and a service life of at least 2,000 charging cycles.
According to the researchers, resource-saving production, second-life applications and efficient recycling also play a decisive role for a sustainable life cycle of the battery. The scalability of manufacturing from laboratory to industrial scale is also being examined.
Once the designs are approved, the project will test the batteries by installing the cells in module demonstrators with high energy density, power density and long-lasting durability for road vehicles as well as aircraft. A flexibly deployable module is being developed especially for aeronautical applications.
The HighSpin consortium consists of 13 partners from 8 European countries and continues the successful work of 3beLiEVe. As the project coordinator, AIT also plays a central role in the technical work: for example, the selected materials are coated as electrodes and assembled in pouch cells in the AIT battery laboratory. In terms of cell production, the AIT laboratories thus ensure scalability between laboratory scale and industrial scale.
AIT expert Boschidar Ganev, project manager of HighSpin and its predecessor project 3beLiEVe, explains: “We are aiming to make the best possible use of the findings and developments of 3beLiEVe to develop high-performance and circular economy batteries that are manufactured in Europe. Our goal is to contribute to environmentally-friendly mobility in line with the Green Deal.” HighSpin is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.
