With the expertise of TRUMPF, one of the world's leading providers of machine tool and laser technology solutions, XProLas development partners have embarked on the development of a laser-driven, compact X-ray source that promises to significantly enhance the durability and performance of EV batteries in the future.
According to the plan, the first demonstration systems are expected to be put into service in 2026. These systems will enable manufacturers to monitor the charging and discharging of batteries in real time and more accurately identify impurities in them. These important results will directly contribute to the research and development of new batteries, which are expected to improve key indicators such as battery charging speed. It is worth noting that in the past, most of the related research was carried out on rare large-scale particle accelerators that are more than 100 meters long, and the volume of laser-driven X-ray sources is comparable to that of mobile homes, so the manufacturing cost is low, and it has broad application prospects in the industrial field.
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
BASF, the world's leading chemical company, and Cellforce, a high-end battery manufacturer, provided high-quality battery materials and components for the tests. In the field of beam sources, Ushio Germany and Excillum demonstrate their expertise. At the same time, Bruker and Viscom were responsible for the construction of the entire system. In the academic field, the University of Hannover and the Fraunhofer Institutes in Aachen and Jena also play an indispensable role. The entire research project has a budget of around 15 million euros and is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
X-ray analysis techniques
Boost the performance of electric vehicle batteries
The XProLas development project aims to develop a compact and high-brightness X-ray source for the analysis of cathode materials for electric vehicle batteries. The cathode material of an electric vehicle battery is critical to its performance and reliability, and the precise composition of the cathode material can only be determined by X-rays. This compact, laser-driven X-ray source is expected to replace large research facilities, accelerating the R&D efforts of cathode material manufacturers.
In the process of generating X-rays, the laser acts as a so-called upstream beam source. The laser pulses hit the targets, which are usually metals such as gallium, indium, or tin. The resulting plasma releases part of the energy in the form of very short wave light, such as X-rays.