Battery electric trucks can be the future backbone of the transport industry—combining maximum energy efficiency with good flexibility. Daimler Truck AG has proven with a number of projects and products on a global scale how capable these electric trucks can be. This presentation will investigate the special needs of batteries and cells for commercial vehicles with a special focus on the safety aspects.

Rapid adoption of different cell chemistries requires an agile approach to cell stability evaluation. We describe some of the methods implemented at GM R&D to investigate the thermal abuse behavior and resilience that span coin to production cells.  Early phase testing of newly adopted chemistries supports modeling, on-board diagnostics and early detection capability development for faster deployment.

This talk will discuss design principles for solid-electrolyte to enable safe solid-state lithium-metal batteries. Particularly, safety features necessary for adoption by the automotive industry and how solid-state lithium-metal batteries can achieve these will be explored. Contrasting with liquid and/or semi-solid-state approaches, true all-solid-state batteries can safely deliver lithium-metal energy densities, fast charging, and stable cycling if the solid-electrolyte is properly designed.

Safety evaluation is often performed after significant time and resources are invested to develop a cell chemistry. Unanticipated safety hazards can cause substantial setbacks at later stages of cell development. Differential scanning calorimetry is a useful tool to determine material safety but suffers from high variability in electrochemical literature. In this work, we present a predictive battery safety framework from the materials-scale, and assess key factors contributing to variability.

Cathode materials with improved energy densities, longer cycle-life, and improved safety characteristics are needed for portable electronic devices, smart grid systems, and transportation technologies. The highest energy-density cathode materials are based on transition metal oxides, such as layered LiMO2 (M = Co, Ni, Mn), and lithium and manganese-rich composite layered transition metal oxide (LMR-NMC) materials. These cathode materials can address some of the challenges associated with next-generation energy storage devices. However, sufficient knowledge on the atomic scale structure, local environment, and processes governing these metrics in working cells is still lacking. Herein, I will present few examples of current interest to the Li-ion battery research community using density functional theory and molecular dynamics to provide few insights on select structure-property relationships, elemental segregation, surface reconstruction, cathode-electrolyte interaction, bulk stability, and Li transport (impedance rise at low states of charge).

Multivalent metal anodes contain sufficient gravimetric and volumetric capacity to complement lithium-ion battery materials, but issues associated with anode utilization and reversibility persist. This talk will summarize studies led by the Army Research Laboratory related to designing multivalent electrolytes and comment on safety considerations for multivalent batteries.

In this presentation, we emphasize our core value of Safety-Driven Design. From concept to commissioning, we integrate hazard analysis, risk assessments, and safety protocols into engineering designs. Leveraging digital tools, we provide a Safety in Design: HAZOP method for battery material engineering and we illustrate the Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) method for battery projects, ensuring robust safety practices throughout the commercial production line design.

All-solid-state lithium-metal batteries (ASSB) are often presented as the future technology for improving the energy density and safety of today's Li-ion batteries. However, with higher energy density, the reactions that can occur during abusive use are numerous and potentially more energetic. This presentation will focus on the reactions to be considered in the presence of Li-metal, relying on thermodynamic models based on the composition of future ASSB.

Battery current collectors used to be off-the-shelf rolls of metal foil. Now they are getting lighter (down to 4 microns), more conductive (thanks to carbon priming), and more dimensional (3D topographies). This talk will explore the evolution of current collectors from dumb solid sheets of metal to intelligent and efficient highways for electrons.

Sodium-ion technology is gaining traction as a viable alternative to lithium-ion cells, primarily due to its lower material costs. As sodium-ion technology moves towards commercialization, several products have already entered the market, including grid-scale deployments. Despite this progress, the safety characteristics of sodium-ion cells are not well understood. This presentation aims to bridge this gap by showcasing results from safety evaluations performed on commercially available 18650 sodium-ion cells, which utilize a NaNiMnFeO cathode and a hard carbon anode.

In this talk, I will talk about a universal strategy to entirely eliminate Co and reduce Ni content in traditional stoichiometric layered cathodes (e.g., NMC, NCA, etc.) while preserving the high specific energy (>800 wh/kg), high charge rate (>180 mAh/g at 3C), and moderate upper cutoff voltage (4.3 V vs. Li).

This study explores leveraging iron metal as a cathode for sustainable Li-ion batteries through an anion solid solution approach, promising advancements in battery technology towards sustainability and efficiency.

The Subsonic Single Aft Engine (SUSAN) Electrofan project seeks high-capacity, high-performance, and safe battery tech for NASA's electrified aircraft program. Aluminum-air batteries show promise, but face challenges addressed in this paper's preliminary investigation.

In this talk, I will talk about high-capacity cathode and anode development for sodium-ion batteries through new synthesis processing and advanced characterization. Specifically, I will present use of in situ synchrotron X-ray probes (XRD and TXM) to guide the design and synthesis of sodium-layered oxide cathodes with reduced native structural defects and improved thermal stability. I will also introduce the strategies to suppress the volume swelling of alloying-based anode (e.g., phosphorus and Sn) development during cycling.

In this talk, I will discuss Fermi Energy, Inc.'s advances in developing cobalt- and nickel-free cathodes, fast-charging and all-weather electrolytes, and coal-derived anodes for EV batteries. Our battery cell prototype will achieve 250 Wh/kg, 625 Wh/L, 6.25-minute charging to 80%, =0.3% performance loss per °C, 90% capacity retention at 1500 cycles, and reduce cell cost to $60/kWh, using abundant low-cost raw materials to mitigate supply chain risks.

Due to uncontrollable latent defects or accidental damage, today's batteries are potentially unsafe. Soteria is dedicated to solutions for the root cause of battery safety events with patented technology that neutralizes the spark inside a battery, enabling cells to continue functioning after damage. In this presentation, Soteria will demonstrate how innovative inactive materials can reduce the risk of thermal propagation in batteries incorporated in various applications.

There has been increased scrutiny on the use and transportation of lithium-ion batteries. Recent incidents on airplanes and while charging has led to legislation being introduced both federally and on the state level. Lithium-ion batteries carry all the ingredients of fire within: fuel, oxidizer, and initiator (spark). It has been shown that the chemical energy within the organic electrolyte is much greater than the electrical energy which is charged. The end of the talk will address a manufacturing safety issue with the removal of NMP solvent in the production of lithium-ion electrodes.

This talk details the risks associated with end-of-life batteries and explores techniques for deactivating them when they reach the end of their useful life. Among these techniques, saltwater immersion shows promise, but it is hindered by slow deactivation and potential electrolyte release.

Lithium-ion battery safety is critical from production to disposal. The rapid increase in LIBs has led to more fire hazards in the recycling process, necessitating more robust methods. Both electrochemical and chemical hazards must be managed for safe recycling. ExPost is developing new machinery to treat batteries safely and eliminate potential hazards before transportation. This system effectively reduces risks and costs, benefiting various battery-use and recycling stakeholders.