Research areas

Redox-flow batteries (RFB) represent a promising battery technology. Unlike many other battery systems, with RFB the performance (i.e. how quickly the battery can be charged) and capacity (i.e. how much energy the battery can store) can be changed independently of each other. RFB are particularly interesting as storage for renewable energies. As part of HIPOLE Jena, organic electrolytes based on polymers, i.e. plastics, are being investigated, making the use of critical metals/metal ions in the electrolytes unnecessary.

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The large area of organic electronics opens many new application possibilities, such as smart textiles or the “Internet of Things”. In this context, polymer-based active materials and electrolytes allow the printing production of flexible, tailor-made batteries. At HIPOLE Jena the next generation of these materials is being investigated, which should for instance enable a longer lifespan.

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Commercial photovoltaic technologies have reached the terawatt (TW) range in terms of installed capacity worldwide. There will continue to be a very high demand for photovoltaic systems in the next few years, requiring scalable, cost-effective, and sustainable technologies to meet the ever-growing demand. HIPOLE Jena is dedicated to perovskite solar cells. As an example, the use of polymers is intended to improve their stability.

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Functional self-healing materials represent a special field of research. FSHM can restore their original properties in case of damage. As an illustration for that, the electrode conductivity in the battery should be restored after damage to the electrode. Comparable approaches should also be used for solar cells.

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Nowadays, as plastic is massively used in various areas, there is a strong negative association regarding the environmental impacts of plastics (e.g., microplastics), so sustainability plays an important role. Therefore, the polymers for various applications should be created based on sustainable resources with recycling possibilities. For example, the use of CO₂ as a fundamental building block for the polymers plays an important role.

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