Germanium-based lithium-ion batteries for AeroSpace applications

The present activity aims at reaching TRL 6 with respect to the realization of a lithium-ion cell to be applied to the AeroSpace sector. Lithium-ion batteries are indeed one of the most important power sources for space vehicles such as satellites or rovers, yet they often carry the issue of limited life operability. The development of solutions improving the performance of batteries would represent an important technological step forward, capable of providing new scenarios to the Space sector but also for applications Earth-related.

In this project will be developed a battery anode based on innovative concepts, and based on the experience based on former activities always run under the umbrella of the Italian Space Agency. Specifically, it will be developed a nanoporous Germanium-based anode capable of improving the anode performance, for a long number of cycles, up to 4 times commercial anodes. This anode will be then implemented within a full battery to test its workability in a real environment. Low/high temperature tests will also be run at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia to verify the battery resilience to temperature stress tests, a very important aspect both in Space but also for terrestrial applications.

This project is run in collaboration with: UniFE, UniCA, Genport s.r.l.

Project funding: Italian Space Agency (ASI)