An Austrian research consortium has launched a €2.9 million project to develop lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) cells for stationary battery energy storage systems.
The 36-month Phoenics project aims to increase cell energy density by 20% and service life by 40%, while retaining the safety and thermal stability associated with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) technology.
Nearly €2 million of the project’s budget is being provided by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency under its Energieforschung 2024 funding programme.
Phoenics is being coordinated by Graz-based Virtual Vehicle Research in collaboration with Varta Innovation, Materials Center Leoben Forschung (MCL) and AVL List. Their work will cover material development, electrode and cell manufacturing, characterisation, modelling and safety assessment.
LMFP is an evolution of LFP chemistry in which manganese is added to increase operating voltage and energy density. The consortium said it could provide up to 20% higher specific energy density than conventional LFP while avoiding cobalt and nickel.
The researchers will investigate questions surrounding the material’s behaviour, ageing mechanisms, processability and scalability. High-resolution imaging and AI-assisted analysis will be combined with physical and data-driven models covering structures ranging from the cathode material’s microstructure to complete storage modules.
Virtual Vehicle said linking experimental work with simulations could shorten development cycles and accelerate the progression of LMFP materials towards commercial maturity. The project will also develop testing procedures to validate cell safety and reliability.
Strengthening Austria as a research location
Philip Kargl, Phoenics project leader at Virtual Vehicle, said: “With PHOENICS, we continue the successful collaboration from the predecessor project OpMoSi. Our strength lies in combining innovative simulation and analysis methods with industrial development expertise. This creates the foundation to better understand LMFP cell technology, optimise it, and make it usable for future energy storage systems. This not only strengthens Austria as a research location but also boosts European innovation in the battery sector.”
Varta Innovation will contribute expertise spanning material development, electrode manufacture and cell integration, while MCL will investigate how electrode microstructure affects performance, lifespan and reliability. AVL will use electrochemical modelling and machine learning to predict critical operating conditions and safety behaviour.
Although the project is initially focused on stationary storage, the consortium said its findings could eventually support further research into LMFP batteries for electric vehicles.
Photo: an AI-generated image of a BESS container supplied by the Austrian research consortium Phoenics
