Peer-to-Peer Meeting of the U Bremen Research Alliance at Fraunhofer IFAM

Fraunhofer IFAM is one of Europe’s leading institutes for applied materials research and manufacturing technologies. With around 700 employees at seven locations and close personnel ties with the University of Bremen, the institute is exemplary of the cooperative research structure in Bremen. Here, research is conceived across institutional boundaries and consistently transferred into application. IFAM’s areas of expertise include metallic and polymer materials, surface technology, adhesive bonding technology, automation, robotics, and energy storage. Its aim is to actively shape technological developments and create sustainable solutions for key sectors such as mobility, aviation, energy, maritime technologies, and medical technology. Dr. Volker Zöllmer provided insights into the institute’s development into a broadly positioned research institution focused on applied research. One example of its high-performance research infrastructure is the drone campus in Cuxhaven, where test flights can be carried out under realistic conditions and new technologies can be trialed.

A key thematic impulse was provided by Professor Fabio La Mantia from the University of Bremen. His research group “Energy Storage and Energy Conversion Systems,” which was established jointly with Fraunhofer IFAM, combines fundamental electrochemical research with application-oriented questions in energy storage. His presentation focused on the question of how the state of health of batteries can be reliably predicted. The research group investigates aging processes using electrochemical measurement methods, in particular impedance analyses during real charging and discharging cycles. In this work, experimental electrochemistry, physical modeling, and data-driven approaches are closely interlinked. The large number of test cycles generates extensive datasets, whose analysis is increasingly supported by methods of artificial intelligence. This makes it possible to identify complex correlations and draw conclusions about the condition of individual battery cells.

The group’s work ranges from the development of new battery concepts for stationary applications to innovative measurement and analysis methods. The goal is to systematically improve the performance and lifetime of energy storage systems and thus contribute to the transformation of the energy system.

The peer-to-peer format provides a framework for jointly developing such topics further. It promotes mutual acquaintance, open exchange, and targeted networking within the Alliance. On this basis, new ideas and collaborative research approaches can emerge.