Research Developments

ECO-SMART BATT

Ferroglobe Innovation participates in the project called "ECO-SMART BATT”: Sustainable manufacturing 4.0 of nanocomposites and ionogels for high energy density batteries (IN854A 2020/04)." 

The main objective of the project is to significantly improve the energy density, cost and sustainability of lithium-ion batteries thus facilitating the transformation of the transport sector towards sustainability, decarbonization and emission reduction. 

This objective will be achieved through: 

1. novel research in sustainable and smart manufacturing of advanced active and inactive materials and their synergistic combinations for the different components of the electrochemical cell (anode, electrolyte, and separators) and, 
2. research in monitoring, control and simulation technologies that allow the design of new, more efficient, and profitable production processes for the different materials and electrochemical cells that will be obtained during the project. 

The ECO-SMART BATT consortium is formed by five Galician entities: 

• FERROGLOBE INNOVATION S.L.U. 

• ABCR LABORATORIOS, S.L. 

• ENSO INNOVATION S.L 

• ARTABRO TECH S.L. 

• MULTISECTORIAL RESEARCH TECHNOLOGICAL CENTER FOUNDATION 

TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET: 2.752.750,98 €. 

This project is subsidized by the Galician Innovation Agency within the framework of the 2020 call of the Factory of the Future, smart and sustainable factory of Industry 4.0 aid program. The grants awarded under this program have been co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under Axis 1 (Promoting research, technological development, and innovation) of the ERDF Galicia 2014-2020 operational program.  The project is supported by the Second Vice-Presidency and the Regional Ministry of Economy, Enterprise, and Innovation. 

FG Innovation prepared the pilot plant for the installation of the planned milling equipment. Likewise, significant progress has been made in the review of the state of the art in relation to the use of silicon and its optimal characteristics in the anode of lithium-ion batteries (definition of specifications). Regarding quality control (including full traceability based on blockchain), the critical properties to be monitored and recorded have been defined. In addition to this, the manufacturing and analysis methods for this type of silicon have been established. Tests has also been carried out on silicon particle coatings, checking different possibilities. Advance on the digitization of processes and digital twins, as well as muon tomography in the silicon purification phase have begun to be designed and implemented.

In this year, FG Innovation completed the installation and commissioning of the new milling equipment and the first milling tests have been carried out in the pilot plant. The critical parameters of the process have been determined for its automation and control. Progress has been made in the characterization by SEM and XRD microscopy of the micrometric and nanometric silicon obtained, which has allowed improvement in the development of new materials, in accordance with the optimum specifications defined. Laboratory tests begun with the muon chambers and different types of crucibles and materials inside them. Different types of coatings, doping and new manufacturing procedures for silicon/carbon composites were designed. The first cells were prepared, and first electrochemical results were obtained.

In 2022, FG Innovation completed the commissioning of the new micrometric and nanometric milling equipment, for which several tests have been carried out in the pilot plant with great success, reaching the expectations in chemical purity and particle size distribution. The critical parameters of the process for its automation and control have been determined. Additionally, potential production bottlenecks have been detected with the digital twin and great strides have been made in quality assurance with the blockchain application that allows the registration of all relevant information in the manufacture of high purity silicon powder.

Starting from different types of silicon obtained, different Si/C coatings and composites synthesized in collaboration with the project partners have been tested, leading to significant progress in the development of new advanced materials for the anode of lithium-ion batteries. This progress has been validated by electrochemical results obtained with independent entities. Among these results, the great improvement in the cyclability of silicon-rich anodes (>50% silicon content) is particularly noteworthy. This is a very innovative technology, which seeks to reduce cost and increase capacity at the same time.