The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, together with research and industry partners, has developed a new battery electrode and cell architecture that can increase energy storage capacity by 10 to 15 percent without increasing battery weight. The innovation could help improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries while also supporting the development of alternative battery technologies such as sodium-ion and zinc-ion systems.
The research team achieved the improvement by significantly increasing the thickness of the electrode coating. While conventional battery electrodes typically use coating thicknesses of around 100 to 200 micrometers, the newly developed architecture allows thicknesses of up to 800 micrometers. The thicker electrodes reduce the number of current collectors required inside a battery cell, creating additional space for active electrode material.
According to Fraunhofer ISE, the new architecture was initially validated experimentally using small laboratory cells for lithium-ion, sodium-ion and zinc-ion batteries. The researchers subsequently implemented the concept in lithium-ion pouch cells using industry-standard manufacturing processes.
The team also produced prototype lithium-ion pouch cells using a semi-automated production line at the Fraunhofer ISE Battery Materials and Cell Production Lab. The results demonstrate that the new electrode structure can be integrated into practical battery-cell manufacturing processes rather than remaining limited to laboratory-scale research.
Dr. Oliver Fitz, group leader for battery cell technology at Fraunhofer ISE, said the increase in electrode coating thickness allows substantially more active material to be incorporated into the same cell. Depending on the battery chemistry and design, this can translate into an energy-density improvement of approximately 10 to 15 percent.
An important feature of the new technology is its potential manufacturing and environmental advantages. The battery electrodes are PFAS-free and can be produced without toxic solvents. Fraunhofer ISE said the proposed production approach could also have significantly lower process complexity than conventional wet-coating systems.
The researchers expect these manufacturing advantages could reduce both capital and operating costs. A future production line based on the new architecture would require less space and energy, while the simplified process could lower the investment required to establish battery manufacturing facilities.
The technology could therefore be particularly relevant for small and medium-sized companies seeking to enter battery-cell manufacturing. The research consortium believes the approach could support the establishment of new battery production capacity in Germany and contribute to the country’s growing energy-storage industry.
Helmut Hechinger GmbH & Co. KG is participating in the project as an industry partner and is contributing its manufacturing expertise. Machinery manufacturer acp systems AG is also involved and is developing equipment for producing the new electrode architecture.
The technology has potential applications beyond electric mobility. Fraunhofer ISE Director Prof. Dr. Andreas Bett highlighted the growing importance of stationary battery storage in energy systems increasingly powered by variable renewable sources such as solar and wind. Battery storage can help manage fluctuations in renewable generation and meet electricity demand during peak periods.
The researchers are developing the electrode and cell architecture through several projects, including VORAN, focused on innovative sodium-ion battery storage, INFAB, focused on zinc-ion batteries for stationary energy storage, and WinZIB2, which addresses globally deployable zinc-ion battery systems.
The projects involve Fraunhofer ISE, acp systems AG, Helmut Hechinger GmbH & Co. KG, the University of Stuttgart’s Institute for Photovoltaics and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology/Helmholtz Institute Ulm. The research has received funding from German federal and state institutions.
With successful validation across lithium-ion, sodium-ion and zinc-ion chemistries, Fraunhofer ISE’s electrode architecture represents a potentially scalable approach to improving battery energy density while simplifying manufacturing. Further development and scale-up will determine how effectively the technology can transition from prototype production to commercial battery manufacturing.
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