Announcing the 2025 CELEST AWARD Winners!
Strengthening Collaboration Across Locations: Announcing the 2025 CELEST Award Winners!
We are thrilled to announce the three recipients of the CELEST Award 2025, which was awarded for the first time this year!
This award supports and highlights pioneering cross-location collaborations among CELEST partners — Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Ulm University and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) — in the fields of electrochemistry, materials research, battery technology, and energy systems.
The 2025 CELEST Award recipients are:
Project: Alternative Fluorinated Polymers Designed for Performance and Degradation
Awardees:
- Prof. Dr. Max von Delius (Ulm University)
- Prof. Dr. Patrick Théato (KIT)
Project Summary
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are not biodegradable and have therefore become known as “Forever Chemicals” that the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has committed to phase out. Much research is devoted to fluorine-free substances and polymers, yet the unique position of fluorine in the periodic table makes a complete replacement of this element virtually impossible for certain applications, including battery technology.
This proof-of-concept activity aims to investigate alternative fluorinated polymers that are designed for function and degradation by containing only (bio)degradable CHF moieties rather than the problematic CF2 and CF3 fragments. In recent work, the teams of Théato (KIT), Scheiba (KIT) and von Delius (UUlm) could successfully show that the integration of all-cis fluorinated cyclohexanes into sulfur-based battery cathodes via inverse vulcanization leads to a substantially decreased capacity fading (e.g. 98% vs. 38% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 1C). This beneficial effect is likely due to the binding of polysulfides within the cathode, which prevents the “polysulfide shuttle effect”. In this proposed work, Patrick Théato and Max von Delius will follow up on open questions of the published study and extend the investigation to performance polymers beyond battery applications. This project will lead to materials classifiable as “degradable Teflon” or “degradable PVDF” replacement materials with far-reaching implications for battery technology and the wider materials sciences.
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Project: Investigation of glued electrode-separator-assemblies on battery cell performance
Awardees:
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Fleischer (KIT)
- Prof. Dr. Markus Hölzle (ZSW)
Project Summary
The use of glued electrode-separator-assemblies (ESA) can enhance stacking efficiency and increase throughput. However, there is a lack of comprehensive knowledge regarding the process and product quality in their manufacturing and application. Therefore, this work aims to analyze the influence of different binder adhesives on process quality, particularly adhesion strength, as well as on product quality, specifically cell performance.
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Project: Reducing scrap by investigating moisture variations in Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) production for fuel cells and electrolysers
Awardees:
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Fleischer (KIT)
- Dr. rer. nat. Ludwig Jörissen (ZSW)
Project Summary
Fluctuations in the moisture content of CCM (Catalyst Coated Membrane) result in the generation of costly rejects in MEA production for fuel cells and electrolysers due to undesired format changes. To mitigate this issue, the objective of this project is to investigate the physical feasibility of inline moisture content determination and regulation. To this end, a test rig is to be constructed in a climatic chamber at the KIT/wbk. By this means, the influence of the moisture content of the CCM on conventional web handling sensors can be determined. In parallel, at the ZSW in Ulm, investigations will be conducted into methods for adjusting moisture content rapidly through dehumidification and humidification. The findings from this preliminary study can be seen as a foundation for subsequent applications at the state or national level.
The CELEST Award fosters innovation by overcoming cross-location boundaries, driving forward the creation and expansion of collaborative scientific excellence.