Nina Baule¹, Foelke Purr¹, Svenja Weber-Harmann², Julian Brokmann², Lars Haubold¹, Nikolas Dilger², Sebastian Melzig², Sabrina Zellmer^2
1Fraunhofer USA, Inc., East Lansing, MI
²Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, Braunschweig, Germany
The battery market has grown rapidly, with lithium-ion battery demand expected to increase from 700 GWh in 2022 to 4.7 TWh by 2030. Alongside this growth, the need for high-performance batteries with improved energy density and faster charging is rising, particularly in the electric vehicle industry. Advances in battery technology also hold the potential to enable the electrification of aviation through lighter, more powerful cells. However, interfacial interactions remain a key challenge in improving lithium-ion battery performance. Issues such as thermodynamic instabilities between anode materials and electrolytes and uneven lithium distribution during charge and discharge cycles continue to limit the commercialization of promising next-generation battery chemistries. Here, we evaluate how the material group of amorphous carbon coatings synthesized by vacuum technologies can contribute to the battery of the future by stabilizing the lithium metal anode or the current collector/electrolyte by creating an artificial interface. This work examines the technological, economic, and environmental aspects of amorphous carbon coatings, with a particular focus on qualitative technical feasibility assessment to ensure a circular economy. Through detailed market research and literature review we identify key technical performance indicators (KPIs) and process impact factors of artificial interlayers necessary to develop a competitive battery concept.