Open Access

Ensuring the safety of electrochemical energy storage systems is a key challenge for the large-scale deployment of batteries in the energy transition. Incidents involving lithium battery fires have increased public and regulatory attention to battery safety, particularly for high-energy systems. A major safety concern is thermal runaway (TR), a critical failure process that can lead to rapid self-heating, the release of toxic and flammable gases, and ultimately fire and toxic gases. Solid-state batteries (SSBs) are widely considered a promising pathway to improve battery safety by replacing flammable liquid electrolytes with solid materials. While some SSB concepts still use polymer or hybrid electrolytes, all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) rely entirely on solid components such as ceramic electrolytes and are therefore often expected to suppress classical TR mechanisms. However, experimental data enabling a comprehensive safety assessment of ASSBs remain limited. This work systematically investigates failure scenarios in liquid, semi-solid, and all-solid battery systems using electrical, mechanical, and thermal abuse methods. The resulting failure characteristics and safety-relevant mechanisms are compared providing new insights into the safety behavior of solid-state battery technologies.

Beitrag stellt das Berlin Battery Lab (BBL) als gemeinsames Material- und Transferlabor der BAM, des HZB und der HU Berlin vor. Einleitend wird die Forschung an nachhaltigen Batteriematierialen motiviert. Die Forschungsthemen im BBL und die dazu verfügbare Infrastruktur wird vorgestellt. Verschiedene Arten von Zellen, von der Knopfzelle bis zur operando-Zelle, werden im BBL aufgebaut und kurz erläutert. Das EFRE geförderte Applikationslabor BBL wird kurz vorgestellt und Wege zum Transfer und zur Industrieanbindung werden diskutiert.

The talk introduces the BAM as a federal research institute. Main areas of research and career paths are highlighted. Current research projects with a focus on ceramic materials are presented to showcase the bandwith of topics worked on in Division Advanced multi-materials processing.

Transverse thermoelectric generators (TTEG) enable conversion of thermal into electrical energy with perpendicular directions of the applied temperature gradient and the induced thermoelectric voltage. We report on the fabrication of transverse multilayer thermoelectric generators (TMLTEG) based on p‐type Ca3Co4O9 (CCO) ceramic tapes and printed silver which were conventionally sintered (CS) in air at 920°C or using pressure‐assisted sintering (PAS) at 920°C and 1.5 MPa. The thermoelectric performance of TMLTEGs was evaluated using analytical calculations and simulations. The transverse thermoelectric power factor and thermoelectric figure‐of‐merit of an artificial layered structure composed of CCO and silver were calculated and simulated as functions of layers tilt angle φ and metal‐to‐ceramic thickness ratio. TMLTEG devices with various CCO layer thicknesses of 150 µm, 100 µm, or 33 µm were fabricated and cofired at 920°C in air, which exhibit power outputs of 2.3 mW, 3.2 mW, and 4.1 mW at ΔT = 160 K, respectively. TMLTEGs which were cofired using PAS show a higher power density of 16.4 mW/cm3 at ΔT = 225 K. This enhancement in power (≈ 80%) is crucial for thermoelectric modules comprising multiple TMLTEG devices. The device measurements were compared with 3D simulations.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), particularly the zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) family, are attractive precursors for advanced energy-storage materials. Upon pyrolysis, ZIFs can be transformed into electrically conductive carbon materials while preserving their original particle morphology, which is crucial for achieving high-performance sodium-ion battery anodes. Despite these advantages, large-scale implementation remains challenging due to the need for synthesis routes that balance performance, cost, and sustainability. The present study addresses these challenges by developing environmentally benign and economically feasible strategies for the scalable production of ZIF-8-derived carbon anodes suitable for industrial applications.