As the fraction of the energy on the grid, originating from renewable sources such as PV and windmills increases, domestic stationary electrochemical energy storage systems (batteries) can improve the way we are able to... [ view full abstract ]
As the fraction of the energy on the grid, originating from renewable sources such as PV and windmills increases, domestic stationary electrochemical energy storage systems (batteries) can improve the way we are able to utilise this energy. It allows us alleviate the intermittent character of these energy sources, as energy can be buffered during peak generation times and consumed at a later time when demand is high and generation is low. Furthermore, it also lowers peak demands on the grid, as locally harvested and stored energy can be used.
EnergyVille is a collaboration between the Flemish research partners KU Leuven, VITO, imec, and Hasselt University, in the field of sustainable energy and intelligent energy systems, in the urban environment, including battery systems, for stationary storage and for automotive applications (mainly lithium ion batteries (LIB’s)). Its recently finished expansion of R&D facilities in Genk, Belgium includes a ±80m2 dry room and a state of the art pilot-scale pouch cell production line.
Here, we present an overview of the work within the chemistry and materials science division. We discuss the synthesis of several electrode materials for LIB’s. This includes Li4Ti5O12 (LTO), LiFePO4/LiMnPO4 and titanium oxide surface-modified LNMO particles. These are obtained via a variety of synthesis routes, including aqueous solution-gel synthesis, combustion synthesis, thermal decomposition synthesis and controlled precipitation, truly demonstrating the versatility of wet-chemical synthesis as a way to obtain (nano)particulate oxide and phosphate materials. This enables us to develop innovative ways to modify and engineer these materials to improve key performance indicators for their application in LIB’s, such as cycle life, rate capability, production costs and ecological impact.
This project receives the support of the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund ERDF, Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship and the Province of Limburg (project number EFRO936).
