Value Chain

Digitalization & zero-defectmanufacturing Batterymanufacturer Citizens, consumers,end users Characterization LCA, cost analysis, safety tests Pouch cellassembly Processingby pulsed laserdeposition Processingby slot-diecoating & UV exposure Processingby extrusioncoating Cathode:High NiNMC, CNTs& SPE Cathode:currentcollector Cross-linkedSPE Anode: Thin Limetal + SSE Protective/functional layers at all interfaces*
* By CSEM, CNRS, Aalto, Pulsedeon & Armor

Role and main tasks in the project:

VTT is the coordinating organization in SOLiD. VTT will utilize its pilot scale processing capabilities in extrusion coating of NMC cathode layer together with electrolyte and slot die coating of solid state electrolyte developed in the project. In addition, VTT will develop inline optical characterization methods together with controlling loop for battery layer production lines.

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Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT OY

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is an impartial multidisciplinary expert organization. VTT’s special strength is its ability to create new, globally competitive technologies and innovations by combining knowledge and expertise in different fields. With its know-how, VTT produces research, development, testing and information services to public sector and companies as well as international organizations.

Through its international scientific and technology network, VTT can produce information, upgrade technology knowledge, and create business intelligence and value added to its stakeholders.

VTT´s technological focus areas are applied materials, bio and chemistry processes, energy, information and communication technologies, industrial systems management, microtechnologies and electronics, and technology in the community. The turnover of VTT in the year 2021 was 254 million €. VTT is part of the PrintoCent industry cluster. VTT has over 20 years of experience in solution based R2R-manufacturing of organic and large area electronic components and devices. Recently, VTT’s special interest has been in methods and technologies enabling the integration of organic and large area and hybrid electronics with End-User products and building demonstrators and product mock-ups in a form that facilitates industry to up-take the benefits of new technologies.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

PULSEDEON is responsible for WP2 together with CSEM and Aalto developing and demonstrating Li metal anode processing technology and Li metal foil surface engineering solutions. Furthermore, PULSEDEON develops Li metal surface barrier and buffer layers based on inorganic ion conducting solid state electrolytes and barrier layers providing sufficient stability, cyclability and resistance against dendrite growth. Barrier and buffer layers should be finetuned taking into account the polymer and polymer composite cattholytes developed in WP3.

In addition to PLD process technology, ALD processing and PVD technology is used as complimentary technology e.g. for barrier layers. In addition to PULSEDEON in-house material characterization and testing, CSEM and Aalto are providing advanced materials and surface characterization and cell level testing to validate developed processing and material solutions.

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PULSEDEON OY

PULSEDEON is a professional research and development team with a comprehensive approach to materials science, processing, and performance. They create next-generation Li-ion battery solutions using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technology and other related technologies. In 2018, Pulsedeon took part in the EU project LISA, which aimed to develop a high-energy, safe lithium-Sulphur battery for automotive integration and its is active in several EU and Finland government funded R&D project for batteries PULSEDEON materials and processing solutions are under development for all-solid-state, semi-solid-state, hybrid-solid-state and Li-S applications as well as for sodium batteries.

PULSEDEON focus areas are anode materials (Li, Li alloys, Si, Na), solid state electrolytes, barrier layers and lithiophilic layers.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

ABEE will be responsible for manufacturing 1Ah and 10 Ah pouch cells and carrying the electrochemical evaluation of the manufactured cells to validate the upscaled process, electrode, and electrolyte sheets produced. Moreover, ABEE will assess the safety of the manufactured cells under electrical, mechanical and thermal extreme conditions to ensure the safety of the cells produced.

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Avesta Battery & Energy Engineering

Avesta Battery & Energy Engineering (ABEE) is a dynamic and specialized company in the field of battery and energy technologies for e-mobility and stationary applications located in Brussels, Belgium. Today ABEE is a fast-growing multicultural company with team members from various nationalities. It is currently part of 25 EU-funded projects and several industrial projects with OEM’s and government institutions worldwide.

Since its creation in 2019, ABEE began to explore all aspects of the battery value chain, from cell production to battery pack systems to the final stage, including even recycling. Today ABEE has anchored its position in the energy and battery world.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

TALOS is the Innovation Manager of the project being responsible for proper management of knowledge and intellectual property. Additionally, TALOS undertakes the planning, management and evaluation of all dissemination, communication and exploitation activities performed within the project.

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RTD TALOS LIMITED

TALOS is an SME offering high-quality services in the field of project management both at the European and national levels. It is considered among the biggest consultancy firms in Cyprus. TALOS has years of demonstrated experience in project management being involved since its foundation in more than 70 European research projects and has taken the responsibility for managing administrative and financial tasks, reporting, maintenance of agreements between the consortium members, and handling overall legal, ethical, financial, and administrative issues.

Moreover, TALOS is an expert in exploiting and disseminating project results and has prepared numerous successful Exploitation Agreements with special emphasis on proper IPR management among the partners.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

In the SOLID project, Aalto focuses on development and investigation of protective coatings for battery cathodes and anodes using such methods as atomic layer deposition (ALD), molecular layer deposition (MLD) and fluidized bed reactor. The aim is to invent cost effective and scalable approaches for hindering active material aging and simultaneously improving their compatibility with the other components and integration into the cell without sacrificing the performance.

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AALTO UNIVERSITY

Aalto University is a community of bold thinkers where science and art meet technology and business. We are committed to identifying and solving grand societal challenges and building an innovative future. Aalto University has been ranked the 9th best young university in the world (Top 50 under 50, QS 2018) and one of the world’s top technology challenger universities (THE 2017), for its outside-the-box thinking on research collaboration, funding and innovation. Aalto has six schools with over 11000 students and 4000 employees of whom close to 400 are professors. Our main campus is located in Espoo, capital area of Finland.

At Aalto, high-quality research, art, education and entrepreneurship are promoted hand in hand. Disciplinary excellence is combined with multidisciplinary activities, engaging both students and the local innovation ecosystem. Our main campus is quickly transforming into an open collaboration hub that encourages encounters between students, researchers, industry, startups and other partners. Aalto University was founded in 2010 as three leading Finnish universities, Helsinki University of Technology, the Helsinki School of Economics and the University of Art and Design Helsinki, were merged to strengthen Finland’s innovative capability.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

The UMR5819-SYMMES lab, the joint research unit N°5819 supported by CNRS, CEA, Grenoble-INP and UGA, and the UMR5279-LEPMI lab, the joint research unit N°5279 supported by CNRS, Grenoble-INP, UGA and Université Savoie Mont Blanc will bring their internationally recognized transdisciplinary ((Electro)Chemistry, physics, multiscale structure/property correlations through ex situ, in situ & operando X-ray & neutron characterizations) expertise in developing basic research and key-enabling technologies on themes linked with societal issues, such as zero-carbon energy (in particular energy conversion (e.g. proton exchange membrane fuel cells) & storage ((micro) batteries & (micro)supercapacitors) in reply to UN’s SDG N°7.

Both labs will jointly develop scalable methods to produce recycling-by-design interfacial barriers and functional layers. Polymers and additional tunable interfacial thin interlayers will be designed and studied to make available, respectively, organic conductive binders (UGA: in particular, new advanced linkers based on functionalized conjugated and conducting polymers) and multifunctional electrochemical interfaces (CNRS: diblock copolymer). Electrochemical and interfacial behaviours will be investigated to (i) improve the compatibility between the cathode and the solid-state electrolyte, (ii) to tune the electrochemical behaviours of the solid-electrolyte interphase and c) to facilitate the recycling of the cell sub-layers (cathode/solid-state electrolyte).

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French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)

The French National Centre for Scientific Research is France’s largest public scientific research organization. It is a government-funded research organization under the responsibility of the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. With 32,000 persons, >1100 research units spread throughout the country, CNRS carries out research in all scientific fields of knowledge.

Moreover, CNRS conducts interdisciplinary programs, one major objective being to promote interdisciplinarity to improve knowledge, ensure economic and technological development or solve complex societal needs. Its scientific activities are divided among 10 national institutions that specialize in a certain area of expertise. They are responsible for over a thousand (joint) research units or “laboratories” and designated services, the majority of which are operated in collaboration with other structures.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

The UGA affiliated entity (@UMR5819-SYMMES lab) will develop, characterise and test new advanced linkers based on functionalized conjugated and conducting polymers. First classical polythiophene derivatives will be elaborated and tested as reference conductive linkers. Specific spectroelectrochemical (UV-vis NIR) tool will be used to characterised these new linkers. These additives will be tested in button and pouch cells.

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Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)

Description: Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), founded in 1339, is the leading institution of higher education in the Grenoble metropolitan region. UGA is certified by an international jury under the Initiative of Excellence in January 2016. UGA is renowned for its scientific and technological research activities, aimed at providing essential training to students and faculty and at addressing societal issues.

Role and main tasks in the project:

Throughout this project, SPECIFIC POLYMERS oversees the development of polymer electrolyte materials combining outstanding battery performances (conductivity, electrochemical stability, hindering of lithium dendrites, …) as well as cost effective and high throughput processability.

For this purpose, SPECIFIC POLYMERS is working on the custom design of functional low-cost conductive polymers compatible with lithium metal/NMC batteries. The chemical nature, composition and structure of targeted polymers will be optimized in view of their implementation as electrolyte materials. Once the most effective polymers obtained, SP will plan to work on the synthesis process optimization to scale up their production up to 10Kg.

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SPECIFIC POLYMERS

SPECIFIC POLYMERS (http://www.specificpolymers.com, 2003, Castries, FRANCE) is a SME Design office with 27 employees acting as R&D service provider and scale up producer in the field of functional monomers, polymers and materials with high specificity. The company was created to meet the need of R&D departments of international industrial groups in terms of specifically designed monomers, polymers and materials.

The main goal of the innovative products developed by SPECIFIC POLYMERS is, in close collaboration with the customers, to validate proof of concepts. In more than 17 years, SPECIFIC POLYMERS developed the synthesis of more than 10 000 functional building blocks, monomers and polymers and is now working with more than 500 customers and partners in more than 50 countries worldwide. Innovative Products developed by SPECIFIC POLYMERS are used for a very wide range of applications such as functional surface coatings (glass, metal, metal oxides, nanoparticles, plastics), construction industry, aeronautic, automotive (paint, tires, sealant, gaskets), pharmaceutical industry, cosmetics, optoelectronic, optic, water treatment, metal extraction, energy (fuel cells, solar cells or lithium batteries).

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Role and main tasks in the project:

TUBALL graphene nanotubes have unique intrinsic properties, due to their specific morphology and chemical structure. They are excellent conductors with a very high surface area, allowing to develop electrically conductive materials at very low amounts on nanotubes.

OCSiAl has developed special dispersions for battery applications to provide a solution that optimizes the performance of the material, can be easily applied, is compatible with the industry materials, and complies with the strictest standards in the industry.

Within the SOLiD project, OCSiAls single wall carbon nanotubes will help to create a high energy density, safe and easily recyclable solid-state Li-metal battery.

Nanotubes will be added to the cathode, in a roll-to-roll (R2R) dry extrusion coating process to develop a cathode-polymer electrolyte composites, NMC with high nickel content and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the conductive additive to develop a solid electrolyte beyond the state of the art.

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OCSIAL

OCSiAl is the world’s largest manufacturer of graphene nanotubes. In addition to the synthesis of nanotubes, they develop industry-friendly technologies for their use in other materials. OCSiAl has around 450 employee members spread across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

The purpose of OCSiAl is to enhance the unique qualities of all base materials to make the world a better place for all living beings. They are pursuing this aim by creating and introducing universal nanotube solutions into the industrial industry. This is resulting in the development of a new generation of nano-augmented materials and end products, the qualities of which were before unattainable becoming the benchmark for customer expectations.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

Within the SOLID Project, ARMOR Battery Films will be in charge to produce coated current collector specifically designed for the project application. Innovative primer formulation permitting to achieve battery performances in combination with active layer will be developed.

Those formulations will be characterized in their liquid form and their behaviors when coated will be studied. Formulation’s ability to ease the manufacturing process will be followed with particular care as well. The most promising formulation will then be coated on using our industrial equipment and the obtained coated current collector will be shared to partners to be incorporated in SOLID’s demonstrators.

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ARMOR Battery Films SA

The ARMOR Group is a French intermediate-size company employing nearly 2000 staff worldwide. The company has been a leader in print technology for the last 100 years. Armor Film for Batteries designs, manufactures and markets coated current collectors.

The ultra-thin conductive and protective primer deposited on aluminum or copper gives access to product that prevent corrosion and improve adhesion of active layer with current collector, while reducing internal electrical resistance. ARMOR Battery Films is committed to improve energy storage system performance so that electric vehicles and sustainable mobility become part of tomorrow’s urban landscape.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

Coatema develops and builds a new slot die coating unit and optimizes the coating process for a solvent free cross-linkable SPE using state-of-the-art simulation technology. The new coating head shall increase process automation and reduce defects. Furthermore, Coatema assists with the mechanical and electrical integration of the devices from WP5 into the MAXI-line at VTT.

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Coatema Coating Mahinery GMBH

Coatema counts more than 40 years of success in the manufacture of machines for coating, printing, and laminating systems. Their business strategy of lab2fab (from tiny samples to final product) serves as the foundation for expanding into new markets and developing new products. Their R&D center is at the core of all Coatema’s development efforts.

The integration of machinery building, process engineering, and research under one roof enables clients to receive comprehensive solutions for all coating, printing and laminating demands. In public-sponsored initiatives, B2B development projects, and internal Coatema research projects, the Research and development center project team collaborates with an interdisciplinary team of researchers. The department’s goal is to create and recognize new advancements in coating, printing, and laminating, as well as to accelerate the adoption of Coatema scale-up procedures for new technologies and markets.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

TBU will support the consortium with the environmental, economic and social impacts assessments of the developed SOLiD cell structures in comparison to the reference cells in pre-defined assessment phases. TBU will also contribute to basic physico-chemical and electrochemical characterizations for optimization of SPE.

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Tomas Bata University

Tomas Bata University (TBU) in Zlín is a Czech public university located in the Moravian city of Zlín. TBU is an open and flexible higher education institution, developed in accordance with five central values: entrepreneurship, openness, usefulness, creativity and responsibility.

More than 9,000 students study at six TBU faculties that provide studies in technology, economics, humanities, multimedia communication, informatics and logistics. International students coming from all over the world and forming 10 % of the student body help create an international environment at the University.

The University is regularly successful when evaluated on the international level. In the Young University Rankings issued by the reputable British Times Higher Education company in 2020, TBU was ranked 301 – 350. According to the World University Rankings published by the British QS company one year later, our University is ranked 85th among universities situated in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The design of energy storage devices at TBU is carried out within the University Institute centers: Centre for Technology Transfer, Centre of Polymer Systems, which obtained the HR Award HRS4R granted by the EC to excellent research institutions, and Footwear Research Centre. TBU has available specialized laboratories and certified cleanrooms used for energy components – pilot production line for experimental production of pouch batteries.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

Within SOLID Project, CRF will lead the specification work and support the consortium as an End User from automotive sector. The highest dedication involvement will be as WP Leader of WP1-Specifications, then the materials laboratory characterization in WP4 and Validation of developed cells through realistic conditions testing in WP6.

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C.R.F.S.c.p.A.

CRF, headquartered in Orbassano (Turin) with other branch sites in Italy, was established in 1978. As a focal point for research activities of Stellantis N.V. Groupit represents its Company in European and National collaborative research programs, joining pre-competitive projects and promoting networking actions, from industry and academia, and to support Stellantis in the protection and enhancement of intellectual property.

CRF develops research and innovation along the three principal axes of sustainability: Environmental Sustainability, which encompasses all aspects relating to energy efficiency as well as to the reduction of the impact on the environment over the entire lifecycle of the vehicle; Social Sustainability, focusing on the safety of transportation systems through the development of active, passive, preventive and cooperative solutions while addressing the mobility of all users irrespective of their specific needs; Economically sustainable competitiveness, oriented towards viable innovation, i.e., improving the performance and functionality of new vehicles in a cost-effective manner while reducing the time-to-market of research results. The CRF research activities imply strategic competences not only in the field of automotive engineering, but also in the fields of manufacturing, advanced materials, ICT and electronics, as well as a wide range of state-of-the-art laboratories and extensive test facilities.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

CSEM will be the leader of the materials WP and it will coordinate its relations with the other WPs. Specifically, CSEM will collaborate closely with SPECIFIC POLYMERS to design and optimize polymer electrolyte solutions with outstanding performance. These materials will be synthesized with the goal of meeting the requirements for R2R processing. CSEM will work on their implementation on the cathode by either extrusion or cathode coating. A variety of synthesis routes and coating methods will be screened based on the electrochemical performance of the materials in coin and pouch cell formats.

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CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D’ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA

CSEM (Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique) is a private, not-for-profit Swiss research and technology organisation. It develops innovative technology platforms through five strategic programmes corresponding to the domains in which the Centre has acquired, over the years, a national and international reputation: microsystems, ultra-low-power integrated systems, surface engineering, systems and photovoltaics. CSEM bridges the gap between academic findings and industrial requirements. Specifically, CSEM develops, integrates, and matures innovative technologies and transfers them to established industrial partners.

Its support to industry ranges from feasibility studies through custom product-development to small-series production. CSEM also facilitates new entrepreneurs’ access to its technology platforms, encouraging them in the creation of start-ups. The annual turnover for 2017 was 96.3 Mio SFr (~ 83 Mio €). CSEM staff comprises some 450 people, working in eight divisions, operated as business units with matrix organization for the projects performed jointly. Since 2013 CSEM is home to the Swiss national competence center for photovoltaics, PV-Center. Within this center, research on optimum use of battery technologies has grown to an important activity over the last years. In 2014 CSEM has set up the Energy Storage Research Center: a shared research infrastructure for testing and characterization of electrochemical storage systems. In 2021 the activities on PV and storage were merged within the Sustainable Energy Center. CSEM has developed battery models that allow to accurately track the energy exchange under various cycling conditions (C-rates, DoD, etc.). In the recently started national project SPET, CSEM has characterized high energy density battery technologies (NCA, NMC and Li-Silicon, all candidate technologies for aeronautic applications), where also operating temperature has been included. In 2021 CSEM started the Coatings of Energy devices group, which provides know-how and top-class coating facilities (vacuum and wet) to address industrial challenges in the field of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The unique coating portfolio for deposition of active materials (Li metal anodes) and/or for functionalizing of the interface between the different materials is a key enabler to obtain devices with higher energy density and better cyclability. The group also develops the next generation of solid-state, safe, and high-energy-density Li-batteries. Electrolyte integration in high-voltage (>4.2 V) Li-metal batteries is enabled by unique surface treatments functionalizing the solid electrolyte/electrodes interface. CSEM know-how and infrastructure allows us to provide services and R&D support along the entire value chain from battery components (coatings, materials, …) up to systems engineering.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

BFH is the work package 5 leader on process digitalization and optimization. Within the work package, BFH will develop new laser-based technologies to detect particles on electrode surfaces, and lead activities of integration the new sensing technologies into the pilot line. Further, BFH focuses on developing models to infer product characteristics and developing control algorithms to steer product characteristics to target. The technologies will be demonstrated on the R2R pilot line at VTT. Additionally, BFH will support the cost analysis of the new processing methods.

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BERNER FACHHOCHSCHULE

Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) is located in and around the city of Bern. It was founded in 1997 by regrouping 13 former specialised schools. About 6800 students are enrolled in 30 bachelor degree programmes, 23 master degree programmes and a variety of executive master, diploma and certificate of advanced studies programmes as well as seminars (ca. 2100 students). Bern University of Applied Sciences fosters an active internationalisation policy and cooperates with many partner institutions within and beyond Europe in terms of teaching exchanges, research, and service delivery.

Research at universities of applied sciences is characterised by strong links between practice and teaching, collaboration with partners from business, society and culture, a broad spectrum of topics in projects that are often interdisciplinary, use of scientific methods, application of several types of research, including collaboration with universities. The BFH Energy Storage Research Centre researches and develops solutions for the storage of electricity for energy supply and mobility. The research group Process Optimization in Manufacturing at the Institute for Intelligent Industrial Systems (i3s) aims at developing innovative, sustainable, and cost-efficient solutions for effective and intelligent industrial processes. The group designed and operates its own battery cell assembly pilot plant which serves as a platform for exchange, innovation and developments. In connection with the pilot plant, BFH offers following services: design and assembly of battery cell prototypes, testing and validation of novel materials on pouch cell level, cutting experiments with state-of-the-art laser technology and integration of new components or devices for trials or optimization.

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