Researchers in Norway are looking at ways to make electric vehicle battery cells more resilient.

As part of an EU-funded project involving a series of battery suppliers and researchers, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) said in a recent press release (via Tech Xplore) that its researchers have been looking at different ways to keep batteries working with minor damage, helping to avoid expensive replacement.

The research team has been working with silicon-anode tech, which promises more energy density and range but isn’t without its own hurdles. As researchers note, silicon anodes swell during charging and discharging, which can cause them to break down over time.

Researchers have looked at adding more graphite, which makes for a more stable mix, and have developed a “secret sauce” electrolyte that helps protect both the cathode and anode, according to the release.

Other experiments have focused on the addition of binders and separators to the cell. The binders help maintain the electrodes’ structure even if it becomes damaged, while the separators keep the cathode and anode physically apart to prevent short circuits.

EV battery electrode binders for counteracting damage (Credit: NTNU)

In the era of cell-to-pack technology becoming common in EVs, such features may become especially important to prevent the full removal of packs for just a few bad cells. Although a few automakers are looking to innovate in that process, too. Ford, for instance, has proposed replacing battery modules while the pack itself stays put.

And it’s unclear whether a strategy such as this, using electrode binders, would serve any purpose in future solid-state cells, as the industry shifts that way.