Safety and performance tests

In the past few years lithium ion batteries have found application in a wide variety of mobile devices such as laptops and mobile phones. Where the energy density is increased, however, the safety risk posed by the overcharging and possible destruction of the battery must be taken into account. Materials and designs with significantly improved safety features are therefore being developed. Lithium-polymer rechargeable batteries, for example, can be protected against overcharging by the use of special charge controllers. It is not yet clear which type of lithium-polymer battery will finally be applied in vehicles. Due to their polymer-film construction, lithium-polymer batteries present a very interesting option. A complete processing chain is available for their pilot production.

In addition to materials and system development, another focus is on designing and conducting different performance and safety tests in conjunction with appropriate analytical procedures.