Electromobility and the storage of regeneratively generated electrical energy place significant demands on the performance and costs of lithium-ion cells. Achieving these goals necessitates a deep understanding of the material properties of raw materials and manufacturing processes for electrodes. Product development and production require precise measurement and control of numerous parameters to tailor cell properties while ensuring a stable manufacturing process. Thus, the objective of this research project remains focused on lowering production costs and enhancing battery cell performance.

The approach hinges on innovative and agile plant technology capable of accommodating flexible formats and rapid recipe changes for continuous cell production. A twin-screw extruder is used for the production of the desired electrode slurry which corresponds to the first manufacturing step. The process control strategy of the extruder system is based on an adaptive, digital concept to ensure high quality battery slurries with the highest degree of automation and minimum energy input with the aim of minimizing raw material wastage or electrode slurry losses. Efficient and sustainable process control aims to decrease downtime and setup times by up to 20 % compared to conventional batch processes.

The poster will provide insights into key quality criteria for electrode slurries and offer an overview of the lithium-ion battery manufacturing chain. A water-based LFP cathode is being investigated while comparing offline and inline measurements. Beginning with fundamental slurry parameters such as viscosity and particle size distribution, the study proceeds to examine the SEM images of the coated electrodes. Finally, coin cells were assembled to assess electrochemical performance.