Münster. As the demand for batteries grows, so do the requirements for their manufacturing and recycling. New technologies must not only be developed but also made viable for industrial use. The Fraunhofer Battery Alliance and its South Korean partners therefore intend to pool their expertise and advance joint research and development activities.

Prof. Dr. Jens Tübke, director of the Fraunhofer FFB and spokesperson for the Fraunhofer Battery Alliance, welcomes the collaboration: “The development of new battery technologies and the establishment of a sustainable battery value chain require close cooperation between research and industry across national borders. Together with our South Korean partners, we aim to pool scientific expertise and jointly develop solutions for battery cell manufacturing and recycling. The two agreements provide an important foundation for deepening technical exchange and launching joint research activities.”

Joint Research Along the Battery Value Chain

At a seminar, the partners exchanged information about their research activities and discussed concrete approaches for future joint projects:

• The memorandums of understanding identify potential research areas with POSTECH and the City of Pohang, ranging from materials for lithium-ion batteries and next-generation batteries to cell and production technologies, as well as recycling and the circular economy . The City of Pohang intends to provide administrative and funding support for joint activities with local companies as well as international research collaborations.
• With K-eco, the focus is primarily on the recycling of used batteries as well as certification and quality assurance procedures for recovered battery materials. In addition, the partners intend to explore research approaches that support compliance with the EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.

During a subsequent tour of the “FFB PreFab” in Münster-Amelsbüren, the delegation gained insights into the research infrastructure for industry-oriented battery cell production. The “FFB PreFab” provides a testing facility equipped with state-of-the-art European plant technology for the joint activities, enabling novel cell concepts and production technologies to be tested under industry-relevant conditions and prepared for transition to large-scale production. Particularly for the planned research activities in the field of new battery materials as well as cell and production technologies, the research infrastructure offers the opportunity to investigate innovative approaches under real-world conditions and to evaluate their industrial scalability at an early stage.