Active materials and feedstocks

At RISE, we work with new chemistries for various types of batteries, including conventional and high-voltage lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, dual-ion batteries, and supercapacitors. Our scientists have expertise in purifying and characterizing active materials, synthesizing graphitic structures from bio-based and other alternative sources, and coating cathode materials with conductive carbon additives (carbon black, graphene, graphene oxide).

Our innovation and development teams have covered a wide range of chemistries, including lithium manganese oxide (LMO), lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), Lithium manganese iron phosphate (LiMn0.3Fe0.7PO4, the high-voltage version of LFP) Lithium-Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt-Oxide (NMC 622, NMC 811, NMC 532) and Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (NCA).

These active materials are produced by hydrothermal, precipitation, sol-gel, and solid-state methods at a 1kg scale.

Within anode development, much of the focus is on the next-generation high-capacity anode technologies, including silicon-carbon, silicon, or silicon oxide-based anode, to improve the energy density of the cells. Our scientists have specialized in purifying and characterizing natural graphite, synthesizing graphitic structures from bio-based sources such as lignin and cellulose, and conductive carbon additives (carbon black, graphene, graphene oxide) from bio-based feedstock.

We specialize in exploring alternative feedstocks, ranging from recycled materials, novel biorefinery products, the sustainable substitution of components such as binders, ionomers, etc., via, e.g., carbonization and graphitization of biomass, the engineering of alternative electrode materials, including hard carbons for Na-ion batteries.

Novel bio-based binders are particularly interesting, and we are exploring different lignocellulosic alternative binders, the substitution of conventional redox materials, ionomers, and separators with more sustainable alternatives. At RISE, we always consider the full-value chain in our projects, and we work on projects ranging from upstream material suppliers to downstream cell/battery manufacturers.

When developing future generation VOC-free, non-flammable, and sustainable batteries with high voltage stability and high ionic conductivity, the choice and properties of an electrolyte play a vital role, as they impact the battery cycle life, safety, and lithium-ion transmission characteristics.  Suppose you want to improve the performance of your battery cells. In that case, our experts are specialized in the formulation and rheological, physical-chemical, and electrochemical characterization of electrolytes and in the development of suitable additives for solid-state electrolytes, separators and bio-based binders, bio-based redox materials based on lignin for pseudo supercapacitors and supercapacitors.

We can assist in optimizing existing formulations but are also looking into substituting PFAS with bio-based or ionic liquid-based alternatives while simultaneously facilitating the synthesis, scaling up, and formulation of solid electrolytes for solid-state batteries.

With the addition of robotic and automated electrolyte formulation and cell assembly systems, the development cost and time can be cut, and reproducibility can be improved. Today RISE can offer automated systems for ambient atmosphere, and an inert system setup is in the planning stage.

We have been working in robotization for many years, and in recent years we have been developing a unique robot platform, Poseidon (video link), to discover novel battery cell materials. Our current focus is on water-based LIBs with water-in-salt (WiSE) electrolytes to enlarge the operating potential window of aqueous systems. Screening for electrolyte candidates for other aqueous batteries, such as Zn, Na, and Ca, and screening with organic electrolytes is also possible. The Poseidon system is also appropriate as a testbed for evaluating automated workflows for cell screening purposes.

With an extensive infrastructure of instruments and experts valuable and relevant for active battery cell material development and testing, the needs for chemical, physical-chemical, and surface characterization are covered. The techniques comprise nano to micrometer scale and provide tools for evaluating and understanding the properties of the active materials being developed.

Essential techniques used for the development of active materials are, e.g., RAMAN Microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray and X-ray tomography, scanning or transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), small and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).