Representing the PHOENIX Smart Batteries project, Emre Güney (PhD Researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel – VUB) joined the event as an invited speaker, bringing our consortium’s unique perspective on degradation monitoring and smart sensing technologies.

Sensing the damage: the PHOENIX approach

Batteries do not fail all at once; degradation builds up long before the system stops working. During his lecture, Emre explained how the PHOENIX project is tackling this issue by giving batteries a “nervous system.”

He detailed how advanced sensing techniques—such as ultrasound, pressure, and gas sensing—can be integrated into cells to detect early degradation processes. The crucial next step, which is at the heart of the PHOENIX vision, is using this real-time data to activate triggerable self-healing polymers, effectively extending the cell’s lifespan and stabilising its performance.

A collaborative and “philosophical” ecosystem

The Summer School was not just about presenting data; it was a platform for deep, collaborative thinking. Co-hosted by the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) and featuring experts from sister projects like SALAMANDER and HEALING BAT, the event sparked lively debates.

Participants tackled almost philosophical questions crucial for standardising this emerging field:

• What actually qualifies as self-healing?

• When can we definitively say a battery has healed?

• How should this healing process be accurately measured?

Reflecting on the event, Emre noted the high quality of the scientific exchange: “It was a well-organised event focusing on self-healing and smart functionality in batteries. We had many productive discussions following the presentations.”

From theory to pilot lines: bridging the scalability gap

A major highlight of the experience was exploring the host facilities. “The IFE infrastructure was presented, which provides pilot lines for anode production,” Emre shared. “It is truly state-of-the-art and proves that we can create real-world scalability for self-healing polymer applications.”

The theoretical discussions culminated in a highly interactive concept workshop on the third day. Participants were challenged to design a new battery chemistry system with self-healing properties “on paper”, without any current technological limitations.

“Creating and practically applying a new self-healing polymer and battery system design on paper, based on current next-generation battery problems, was very eye-opening,” Emre commented, praising the roundtable discussions that followed.

A special thanks to the SALAMANDER project, FME BATTERY, and the Institute for Energy Technology for organising such an inspiring and forward-looking event.