Press Releases

What will happen in the future to used batteries from electric vehicles? How can their valuable materials be recycled efficiently to create a genuine cycle for lithium-based batteries? With its research and development activities, the Fraunhofer R&D Center for Electromobility (FZEB) is conducting research and development into efficient and sustainable solutions for battery recycling in Germany. Now, another joint project by battery researchers and industry has been launched for the direct recycling of battery materials: ProBatman, which aims to optimize the process steps along the entire recycling process chain in terms of purity and yield.

To reduce dependence on rising electricity prices, German households are in-creasingly turning to stationary battery storage systems combined with photo-voltaic systems. These systems provide solar energy around the clock, relieving the burden on power grids. But what happens in ten to fifteen years when these storage systems reach the end of their service life? The answer is direct recycling.

Würzburg/ Freiburg. The automotive supplier Brose is planning to enter the space and satellite sector. In October, the family-owened company formed strategic partnerships with Fraunhofer-Institute for High-Speed-Dynamics EMI, Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC and the BERLIN SPACE Consortium (BERLIN SPACE). The goal is to develop small satellites, key components for space technology, and highly efficient electric drive systems together, and to manufacture them in industrial series production.

The Fraunhofer Translation Center for Regenerative Therapies (TLC-RT) is taking over the epiCS® technology from Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, thereby ensuring the continued availability of internationally standardized epidermis models. These OECD-validated tissue models offer a reliable alternative for evaluating the skin reactions of chemical substances and contribute to the safety of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Sustainable and high-quality conductive additives for lithium-ion batteries are one of the keys to e-mobility in Europe. In view of the increasing demand for rechargeable batteries due to the transition to electric vehicles and renewable energies, the development of innovative and environmentally friendly materials is of central importance. The HiQ-CARB joint project, funded by the European Union/EIT RawMaterials, has taken a major step forward in this key technology for reducing CO2 emissions over the last four years.

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) are considered the next generation of batteries com-pared to conventional Li-ion batteries. Despite significant research efforts, very few SSBs are market-ready. In recent years, various promising materials have been introduced, but one of the main challenges persists: the combination of these materials into a stable cell. The project consortium of FUNCY-SSB (pro-nounced "funky-ssb") with partners from Germany, Slovenia, and Norway aims to change this over the next three years.

After approximately three years, the battery project IDcycLIB, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with around 7 million euros, has successfully concluded in December 2024. During the final project meeting at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg, the outstanding results of the project were presented.

The HiQ-LCA project, funded by EIT RawMaterials and co-funded by the EU, supports the battery industry in complying with the EU Battery Regulation by offering various tools and services, including an advanced Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) database to be developed as a satellite database of the renowned ecoinvent database. To foster collaboration and encourage data contribution, project partner ecoinvent successfully organized industry workshops in 2023 and 2024, bringing together stakeholders to address key challenges and promote transparency. By contributing data, industry leaders gain access to peer-reviewed LCAs, compliance support, and an enhanced role in advancing sustainable battery production.

Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells made of stable materials and manufactured using scalable production processes are the prerequisite for the next technological leap in the photovoltaic industry. Over the past five years, six Fraunhofer Institutes combined their expertise in the Fraunhofer lighthouse project "MaNiTU" to identify the most sustainable paths for the market launch of such tandem solar cells. They were able to show for one that high cell efficiencies can be achieved using industry-oriented processes, however, that such high efficiencies were only currently achievable with lead perovskite materials. Based on these findings, the researchers developed suitable recycling concepts to ensure sustainability.

October 1 marks the beginning of a new era at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg. Prof. Dr. Miriam Unterlass takes over the management of the renowned Würzburg Fraunhofer Institute. The chemist and materials scientist, who previously taught at the University of Constance and the Vienna University of Technology, brings her focus on the synthesis of new functional materials to Würzburg and enriches the portfolio of the Fraunhofer ISC and the University of Würzburg with her expertise, where she will take over the Chair of Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis in personal union.