Team Materials Development

Functional materials and electroceramics – these are the keywords of our scientific research, either for use at high temperatures or at ambient conditions, either ionic conductors or electrocatalysts: more than 20 years of experience are the basis for further innovations.

General Scope
The team ”materials development” is focused on the preparation of powders for ceramic and composite materials. From classic and novel synthesis methods to large-scale production, the powders are specifically produced for use in electrochemical applications. The applicability of the materials is evaluated on the basis of chemical and physical properties initially investigated on generic ceramic specimens. Then materials of interest are processed to realistic components using conventional ceramic technologies and the materials’ quality is optimized for the intended application.

Current Developments
Triggered by the need for better and larger energy storage systems for future energy supply, the team is working on new battery materials. Major effort is devoted to solid electrolytes with the aim to develop safe and large-scale solid-state batteries for stationary applications and other electrochemical applications. The research includes low-cost and taylored synthesis methods combined with experienced processing aiming to produce dense ceramics as ion-selective membranes. Depending on the target size and application, the thickness of the membranes can vary from 10 μm to 1 mm using different fabrication technologies. Presently, the materials under investigation are NaSICON-type lithium- and sodium-ion-conductors. Using our experience in electroceramics, the team also works on electrode materials, especially on cathodes for solid-state batteries and on the interaction between solid electrolytes and cathode materials.

Research area

• Batteries: Nasicon materials and garnets as solid electrolytes, olivines as cathode
• SOFC: fluorites as solid electrolytes, perovskites as cathodes, anodes and anode substrates
• Methods: ceramic powder synthesis, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (DTA/TG), dilatometry, conductivity measurements, impedance spectroscopy, cyclovoltammetry