A European research consortium has launched the HyMetBat project to accelerate the shift from lithium-ion to more resource-efficient battery technologies such as sodium-ion, aiming to support developers and manufacturers with new analysis tools.
The initiative, formally known as “Hybrid metrology for sustainable and low-carbon footprint battery materials,” brings together 30 partners under the leadership of Germany’s Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). The project has secured around €3.5 million in EU funding.
“We want to provide manufacturers with tools to precisely analyse and specifically improve battery materials,” said project manager Burkhard Beckhoff from PTB. He added that the focus is on new measurement methods and standards “that provide deeper insights into battery chemistry and function than before.”
The PTB highlighted growing demand for high-performance batteries produced in a more environmentally friendly way and designed for easier recycling. It will contribute X-ray fluorescence analysis, a technique that can deliver high-resolution information about chemical elements and their bonds even during battery operation. “Charging, discharging and all the chemical processes involved can thus be observed non-destructively and precisely,” the institute said. “Such real-time insights were previously only possible to a limited extent and are of great value for targeted material development.”
By combining X-ray fluorescence with other analytical techniques, researchers aim to create a comprehensive picture of the chemical, electrical, structural and thermal properties of battery materials. The findings are expected to help design sustainable electrodes, improve recycling processes and enhance the performance and durability of next-generation batteries.
Participants include national metrology institutes, universities and industrial partners across Europe. German institutions involved are the Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy, the Technical University of Berlin and the University of Münster, while Switzerland’s Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research is also part of the project.
“The high level of participation shows how great the interest is in long-lasting, high-performance and cost-effective batteries – not least for energy security, technological sovereignty and competitiveness,” Beckhoff said.