Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy (Finland)

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is an impartial multidisciplinary expert organization. VTT’s special strength is its ability to create new, globally competitive technologies and innovations by combining knowledge and expertise in different fields. With its know-how, VTT produces research, development, testing and information services to public sector and companies as well as international organizations.

Through its international scientific and technology network, VTT can produce information, upgrade technology knowledge, and create business intelligence and value added to its stakeholders.

VTT´s technological focus areas are applied materials, bio and chemistry processes, energy, information and communication technologies, industrial systems management, microtechnologies and electronics, and technology in the community. The turnover of VTT in the year 2018 was 268 Million €. VTT is part of the PrintoCent industry cluster. VTT has over 15 years of experience in solution based R2R-manufacturing of organic and large area electronic components and devices. Recently, VTT’s special interest has been in methods and technologies enabling the integration of organic and large area and hybrid electronics with End-User products and building demonstrators and product mock-ups in a form that facilitates industry to up-take the benefits of new technologies.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

As the coordinator of HIDDEN, VTT is responsible for the overall management of the project. In addition, VTT is in charge of scaling up the processes for electrolyte deposition by hot-melt coating, as well as for separator coating, and leads WP3 – Development of battery cell layers. VTT will also develop a heater to control the battery temperature, in order to trigger the self-healing process when needed. Related to materials modelling and discovery using the MAP, VTT will use tools to take care of design of self-healing mechanisms and related data-driven electrolyte and separator material discovery.

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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS (France)

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) is a government-funded research organization under the responsibility of the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI). With 32,000 persons, >1100 research units spread throughout the country, CNRS carries out research in all scientific fields of knowledge.

Moreover, CNRS conducts interdisciplinary programs, one major objective being to promote interdisciplinarity to improve knowledge, ensure economic and technological development or solve complex societal needs. Its budget amounts to 3.3 billion Euros.

In direct line with the proposal HIDDEN, CNRS runs since 2011 (with the support of MESRI) the RS2E (Réseau sur le stockage électrochimique de l’énergie or “research network on electrochemical energy storage”), a (French) national research and technology transfer public/private network aimed at discovering and transferring to the industry new battery & supercapacitor technologies and other alternative techniques intended for multiple applications & products (electric vehicles, portable electronics, electricity storage etc.).

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Role and main tasks in the project:

As the CNRS+UGA partner of the project, the UMR5279-LEPMI and UMR5819-SyMMES labs (i.e. joint research units backed by CNRS, Grenoble-INP, UGA, USMB) bring their internationally recognized trans/inter-disciplinary expertise, skills & know-how (MIEL (@LEPMI) and STEP (@ SyMMEs) Teams): (Electro)Chemistry, physics, multiscale structure/property correlations through ex/in-situ and operando X-ray & neutron characterizations) in developing basic research till key-enabling/innovative technologies on themes linked with societal issues, such as zero-carbon energy (in particular energy conversion (e.g. (Proton-Exchange Membrane) Fuel Cells) & storage (e.g. batteries and supercaps)) in reply to UN’s SDG N°7 and Information Communication Technology (ICT). The specific role of CNRS+UGA in HIDDEN are to lead WP2 and to design, synthesize and perform advanced (electrochemical, physical and structural (WP4)) characterizations of Thermotropic Ionic Liquid Crystals (TILCs) and Self-Healing Electrolytes (SHEs: TILC+protecting additives). CNRS will also contribute to WP1, WP3, WP7, and WP8

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CSEM Centre Suisse D’Electronique et de Microtechnique SA – Recherche et Developpement (Switzerland)

CSEM (Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique) is a private, not-for-profit Swiss research and technology organisation. It develops innovative technology platforms through five strategic programmes corresponding to the domains in which the Centre has acquired, over the years, a national and international reputation: microsystems, ultra-low-power integrated systems, surface engineering, systems and photovoltaics. CSEM bridges the gap between academic findings and industrial requirements. Specifically, CSEM develops, integrates, and matures innovative technologies and transfers them to established industrial partners.

Its support to industry ranges from feasibility studies through custom product-development to small-series production. CSEM also facilitates new entrepreneurs’ access to its technology platforms, encouraging them in the creation of start-ups. The annual turnover for 2017 was 96.3 Mio SFr (~ 83 Mio €). CSEM staff comprises some 450 people, working in eight divisions, operated as business units with matrix organization for the projects performed jointly. Since 2013 CSEM is home to the Swiss national competence center for photovoltaics, PV-Center. Within this center, research on optimum use of battery technologies has grown to an important activity over the last years. In 2014 CSEM has set up the Energy Storage Research Center: a shared research infrastructure for testing and characterization of electrochemical storage systems. In this framework CSEM has developed battery models that allow to accurately track the energy exchange under various cycling conditions (C-rates, DoD, etc.). In the recently started national project SPET, CSEM has characterized high energy density battery technologies (NCA, NMC and Li-Silicon, all candidate technologies for aeronautic applications), where also operating temperature has been included. In 2018 CSEM started developing novel separator materials for enhancing safety and reliability of Li-ion batteries. The activity aims at producing high-performance composite separators previa organic/inorganic coatings on polyolefin separators. This project benefits from the long experience in deposition methods attained from the photovoltaic research and techniques such as ALD of ceramic oxides has shown to have a tremendous impact on mechanical and thermal reliability of the composite separators while at the same time improving the cell’s performance. The program is now testing organic coatings based self-assembly and cross-linking mechanisms to yield core-shell composites where the film thickness stay below 10nm.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

CSEM brings three relevant building blocks to the project. First, its long experience in deposition methods which will be directly applied to develop novel separators materials. Secondly, its battery modelling experience, which is based on physical models linked to electro-impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. Finally, its expertise on innovative battery management system approaches. The latter will be especially well suited to link the novel dendrite-growth identification technique with the self-healing mechanism activation.

The specific role of CSEM in HIDDEN will be:

WP1: CSEM will lead the specifications WP.

WP3: CSEM will contribute to produce porous separators.

WP5: CSEM will lead the analysis & modelling WP.

WP6: CSEM will contribute in running validation tests and supporting the transfer of algos into BMS.

WP7: CSEM will contribute to the dissemination and exploitation activities.

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Berner Fachhochschule (Switzerland)

Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) is located in and around the city of Bern. It was founded in 1997 by regrouping 13 former specialised schools. About 6800 students are enrolled in 30 bachelor degree programmes, 23 master degree programmes and a variety of executive master, diploma and certificate of advanced studies programmes as well as seminars (ca. 2100 students). Bern University of Applied Sciences fosters an active internationalisation policy and cooperates with many partner institutions within and beyond Europe in terms of teaching exchanges, research and service delivery.

Research at universities of applied sciences is characterised by strong links between practice and teaching, collaboration with partners from business, society and culture, a broad spectrum of topics in projects that are often interdisciplinary, use of scientific methods, application of several types of research, including collaboration with universities. The BFH Energy Storage Research Centre researches and develops solutions for the storage of electricity for energy supply and mobility. These approaches enable the integration of renewable energies from decentralized electricity production into the Swiss utility network and the substitution of fossil fuels in transport. The aim is to exploit the potential of sustainable energy sources such as photovoltaics and wind. The Centre is participating in the Swiss Competence Centres for Energy Research (SCCER), which the Confederation has set up in course of energy transition. Within this programme BFH build up a considerable amount of expertise in the domain of battery cell manufacturing by implementing its self-designed pilot line for assembly of stacked battery pouch cells. In parallel BFH executed an R&D project to optimize a battery production line through simulation together with an industry partner.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

BFH will lead activities involving the development of processes to manufacture components of the HIDDEN battery cells. BFH will be in charge to assemble sample cells for the HIDDEN project in sufficient quantity to analyze the different HIDDEN approaches. Together with Belenos, BFH will develop suitable separation and handling technology for Li-Metal anode material to overcome current limitations.

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Belenos Clean Power Holding AG (Switzerland)

Belenos Clean Power Holding Ltd. is a member of the Swatch Group and is dedicated to the development and promotion of new technologies related to the electrical mobility. Belenos was founded by G. Hayek and his wish to provide to every family a sustainable way to commute and travel. The initial project was divided in different parts including production of electricity by solar panel, the storage of it with different systems such as battery of gas tank (electrolysis) and transportation with electrical vehicle. Since the start of the battery team in 2010, know-how was gained in order to produce cell with conventional chemistry and technology, infrastructure was also installed in order to produce pilot scale level of different cell size. Parallel to this, own research focusing on new cathode active material is ongoing together with development of new electrolyte system.

Based on this, Belenos has high flexibility and independence to implement new system and new technology in his process flow.

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The specific role of Belenos in HIDDEN will be:

WP1: Belenos will lead the specifications for the PoC functionalities

WP4: Belenos will produce and deliver electrode for the different partners

WP6: Belenos will produce and test HIDDEN cells.

WP6: Belenos will integrate the cell and BMS for a proof of concept and do a LCA study

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Specific Polymers

SPECIFIC POLYMERS (SP) is a SME Design office and chemical supplier of functional monomers, polymers and materials with high specificity. With 21 employees to this day, the company has been created to meet the need of R&D departments of international industrial groups by validating proof-of-concept. For many years, major industrial companies and universities worldwide have relied on our contract research organization skills to provide on-demand synthesis, research programs, R&D products, analysis services or support for up-scaled production.

Indeed, SPECIFIC POLYMERS has been developed the synthesis of more than 10 000 functional building blocks, monomers and polymers and is now working with more than 500 customers and partners in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Innovative products developed by SP are used for a very wide range of applications such as functional surface coatings (glass, metal, metal oxides, nanoparticles, plastics), construction industry, aeronautic, automotive (paint, tyres, sealant, gaskets), pharmaceutical industry, cosmetics, optoelectronic, optic, water treatment, metal extraction, energy (fuel cells, solar cells or lithium batteries).

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Role and main tasks in the project:

SP will be actively involved in the synthesis of Thermotropic Ion-Conductive Liquid Crystals TILCs. To do so, SP will work closely with the CNRS, mainly in the definition of the specifications. SP will be in charge of synthetizing different TILCs of interest, and of achieving a first level of characterization. Upscaling of the most promising TILCs will be performed by SP.

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RTD TALOS LIMITED

TALOS is an SME offering high quality services in the field of project management both in European and national level. It is being considered among the biggest consultancy firms in Cyprus. TALOS has years of demonstrated experience in project management being involved since its foundation in more than 60 European research projects and having taken the responsibility for managing administrative and financial tasks, reporting, maintenance of agreements between the consortium members and handling overall legal, ethical, financial and administrative issues. Moreover, TALOS is an expert in exploiting and disseminating project results and has prepared numerous successful Exploitation Agreements with special emphasis on proper IPR management among the partners.

One of its strong assets is to organize and convey well-structured dissemination activities which help the partners to fully benefit from the project results. The quality guarantee of all projects that are undertaken is a fundamental concern of the company and to this aim, TALOS has applied a set of measures and processes in order to ensure that project implementation always represents the highest possible quality. TALOS is currently managing numerous EU-funded Research and Innovation projects which have received funding through Horizon 2020 programme. TALOS has developed a strong network with SMEs and R&D performers as well as with stakeholders involved in the exploitation of research results on a European scale.

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Role and main tasks in the project:

TALOS is the Innovation Manager of the project being responsible for proper management of knowledge and intellectual property. Additionally, TALOS undertakes the planning, management and evaluation of all dissemination, communication and exploitation activities performed within the project.

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