Funding agency: European Commission: HORIZON‑CL5‑2026‑01‑D2‑04, Project 101318954
Project lead: Julius Gerk, Dr. rer. nat. Payam Hashemi
The aim of the ELEVATE project (“Electrified Aviation with Dry‑Coated Electrodes for High‑Energy Solid‑State Batteries”) is to develop aviation grade lithium ion battery cells with very high gravimetric energy density based on quasi solid state electrolytes. The focus is on 21700 cells that combine high capacity silicon carbon anodes (Si‑C) with ultra thick, dry coated high nickel cathodes, thus targeting energy densities of ≥400 Wh/kg, clearly above the threshold considered commercially relevant for regional electric aircraft.
To achieve these targets, almost solvent free dry processes for electrode manufacturing are developed and combined with in situ polymerization of the electrolyte. Conventional wet coating with long drying sections and high energy demand is largely replaced, which is expected to reduce production costs and CO₂ emissions while increasing process stability.
The technology is first optimized at laboratory scale with respect to structure, conductivity and mechanical properties and then transferred to a pilot scale production line. In this way, ELEVATE creates the basis for later industrial scale up of aviation grade quasi solid state cells for regional commuter aircraft, drones and other premium applications.
The Institute for Particle Technology (iPAT) at TU Braunschweig contributes its long standing expertise in dry processes and electrode related powder technology to ELEVATE. The main tasks include:
Through these activities, iPAT supports the transition from classical wet processes to solvent free, energy efficient dry processes that are particularly well suited for combination with solid state and quasi solid state batteries.
Project partners:
ELEVATE is coordinated by UniverCell Holding GmbH (Germany) and brings together 12 partners from 6 countries:
The partners cover the entire value chain from material and electrode development through cell manufacturing to integration into aviation systems. Within the consortium, iPAT is particularly responsible for the development and characterization of dry processes for anode and cathode materials and thus makes a significant contribution to achieving the technological objectives of ELEVATE.