Potassium as a Versatile Base for Solid-State Batteries of the Future
The new BMBF project "KaFeBar" investigates polymeric and ceramic potassium solid electrolytes and electrode active materials as a basis for future battery cell systems.
31 October 2023 – Since October 2023, scientists at Helmholtz Institute Münster (HI MS; IEK-12) of Forschungszentrum Jülich, together with renowned partners, have been conducting research on potassium-based polymeric and ceramic solid electrolytes and electrode active materials as the basis for future battery cell systems as part of the collaborative project “Kalium-basierte Feststoffbatterien für Technologiediversität und Resilienz” (“Potassium-based Solid-State Batteries for Technology Diversity and Resilience”; “KaFeBar” for short). The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with 2.7 million euros (funding code 13XP0565A-F). It is embedded in the project guideline “Battery 2020 Transfer” and planned to run until September 2026.
Alternative for current Solid-State Battery
In research, solid-state batteries are seen as a source of hope for future battery systems in mobile and stationary applications. "Especially for potassium as a base material for solid electrolytes and cathodes, the potential should be investigated and evaluated at an early stage," explains the project's coordinator Prof. Dr Wolfgang Zeier from Helmholtz Institute Münster and the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Münster. "On the one hand, there is a breadth of active materials here that promise high voltages and capacities, and on the other hand, potassium ions can also intercalate in graphite. Thus, in principle, it would be possible to use the processing infrastructure of lithium-ion batteries," Zeier says.
The aim of the research network is to investigate and evaluate novel potassium-conducting polymeric and sulfidic solid electrolytes, potassium-based active materials and the potassium solid-state battery itself. Systematic investigations are to determine the relevant performance data and provide the basis for a competent assessment of possible areas of application.
Strong Partners
The new approach is being developed together with strong partners from science and industry. These include Helmholtz Institute Münster (HI MS; IEK-12) of Forschungszentrum Jülich, MEET Battery Research Center of the University of Münster, Humboldt University Berlin, Justus Liebig University Giessen, the Bavarian Center for Battery Technology of the University of Bayreuth as well as research and development provider Wolfram Chemie GmbH. In addition, BASF SE, E-Lyte and K+S are supporting the project.