Innovative Battery Electrodes Via Composite Electroforming

Abstract

Since 2012, intensive research has been conducted at Aalen University on the combination of metal foil electroforming and composite electroplating [1, 2]. At the end of 2019, the world's first pilot plant for the patented process [3] - called composite electroforming - was developed and built up as part of the BMBF project GoForE (BMBF, VIP+ funding program).Composite electroforming can be used to produce composite metal foils with embedded functional dispersoids. The type of functional particles as well as the choice of deposition parameters makes it possible to set a specific structuring of the foil. Such structuring is particularly advantageous for battery electrodes in lithium ion and lithium-sulfur cells.The process allows for the continuous production of novel electrode foils in form of a continuous material with a foil width of 30 cm [4-6]. The matrix material - a suitable electrodepositable metal such as nickel and aluminum - simultaneously performs the function of a current collector, binder as well as a conductive additive. Contrary to the state of the art, this allows for the first time a synergetic optimization of the mechanical and electrical bonding of the active material.In a new approach, the metal matrix will be realized by the replacement of nickel by aluminum (BMWi, IGF project KultBat) which allows an additional boost with respect to a lowering of costs and an increase of energy and power density as well as efficiency.The results of the meanwhile finalized GoForE project, as well as first results of the KultBat project, will be presented. In addition to the specific electroplating issues and an excursus on key figures of the produced battery cathodes, the question of process upscaleability will also be highlighted.[1] C. Erhardt, Ş. Sörgel, S. Meinhard, T. Sörgel, J. Power Sources 2015, 296, 70-77.[2] Ş. Sörgel, O. Kesten, A. Wengel, T. Sörgel, Energy Storage Mater. 2018, 10, 223-232.[3] T. Sörgel, S. Meinhard, Ş. Sörgel, Film Composite Material, EP000003114721B1, 2019.[4] T. Sörgel, ZVO report 2019, 1, 46.[5] S. Meinhard, O. Kesten, K. Jäger, I. Hägele, T. Sörgel, Galvanotechnik 2020, 8, 1164-1169[6] A. K. Jäger, S. Meinhard, O. Kesten, I. Hägele, T. Sörgel, WoMag 2020, 4, 25-26 Figure 1