Batteries can be produced with different materials and compositions, making them act like a “black box” of electrochemical reactions to achieve electrical output. Thus, specialising in how to efficiently characterise battery materials forms fundamental groundwork for understanding conventional batteries and developing future technologies.

Investigation of battery materials and components is important to understand the limitations of current state-of-the-art technologies. One cathode composition typically requires a different anode composition, and changing battery environments offer challenges related to the efficiency and stability of the overall system. For example, a project may be related to changing the composition or structure of an electrode, where developing alternative electrode compositions may alleviate controversy attached to some material mining practices with the benefit of increasing the battery performance. However, as mentioned, this typically poses challenges in how the change affects the rest of the battery.

Understanding these interactions is important for developing future battery designs, and several exciting projects are offered within this space at NTNU.

Performance analyses of different batteries require different cycling tests to evaluate their capacity, rate performance and internal resistances, to name a few. When one part of the system is changed, like the cathode or anode composition or structure, these tests are performed to compare them with conventional systems to evaluate their potential in a next-generation battery. These tests are often combined with material characterisations post cycling to give a complete image of the battery’s functionality, and the reactions that may have occurred between its components.

Research on conventional Li-based batteries, their compositions and optimisation potential, is still the space where most research is happening at NTNU. However, next-generation technology is creating research projects within alternative configurations like Na-ion batteries, which are expected to go ahead within the next year.

The expected need for batteries in the global EV fleet and energy storage systems requires large volumes of raw materials to accommodate this. For example, the amount of Li needed for a global implementation of EVs is expected to exceed the readily available amount on Earth. Furthermore, controversial mining practices for some conventional battery components means ethical challenges are posed in how we obtain these raw materials and where from.

By developing efficient recycling methods, we hope to mitigate some of the challenges related to material supply presently and in the future. As batteries consist of several components that interact differently with each other, intricate pathways are being developed in how we recycle them. As past battery systems do not necessarily come with content specifications, there is a need to develop identification methods in addition to efficient recycling pathways for the materials that reside within older generation battery technology. As this research field is lagging behind the advancement of global battery implementation, significant efforts are now being made to improve the sustainability of commercial battery technology.

NTNU has had a continuous collaboration with large entities across Europe to push for the development of battery recycling methods, and exciting international projects are offered in this field.