Mobility: New battery technologies and sustainability in global supply chains NFF doctoral prizes awarded in Braunschweig

For the fourth time, the Automotive Research Centre Niedersachsen (NFF) has awarded the NFF Doktorandenpreis (Doctoral Award) to two young scientists from Technische Universität Braunschweig for their outstanding scientific work. On May 6, 2022, after the Corona break, the prizes from 2020, each endowed with 2,500 euros, were ceremoniously presented to Dr Christian Thies and Dr Linus Froböse.

The two 2020 award winners, Dr Christian Thies and Dr Linus Froböse, dedicated their award-winning dissertations to sustainability in global supply chains using the example of electromobility and the producibility of novel battery technologies.

“Looking at the choice of topics and their outstanding execution, it is easy to see that we are researching very closely to the current issues of our time. It can also be seen that we attach enormous importance to the outstanding promotion of young researchers and that we accompany and support young researchers very well in our institution,” says Professor Angela Ittel, President of the TU Braunschweig. The prize is awarded every two years for outstanding scientific work.

“The NFF Doktorandenpreis is very important for us to make the excellent young research at our centre even more visible. Thanks to the private commitment of the Hanshold couple, who sponsor the prize, we have the opportunity to implement this appropriately and to honour two doctoral students every two years with an award and prize money,” explains NFF Board Spokesperson Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Vietor.

Mobility in thinking was also the topic of Professor Martin Korte’s impulse lecture on the subject of creativity entitled “Das Denken neu denken – Anmerkungen eines Denkorgan-Forschers über Kreativität” (Rethinking Thinking – Remarks by a Thinking Organ Researcher on Creativity).

Dr Christian Thies from the Institute of Automotive Management and Industrial Production, Chair of Production and Logistics, dealt in his research work with how corporate decisions affect the environment, the economy and society. In order to anchor the idea of sustainability more firmly in industry, a holistic basis for evaluation is needed. Only then can companies manage sustainability in a meaningful way. Such a tool is particularly important when it comes to products with global supply chains. Dr. Thies has developed concepts and methods for sustainability assessment. He has used the example of electromobility to test the practical application of his model.

Dr Linus Froböse from the Institute for Particle Technology and the Battery LabFactory Braunschweig (BLB) has contributed to the development and production of new battery technologies with his work. In particular, dry, solvent-free and scalable production technologies for the manufacture of novel solid-state battery cells were developed and demonstrated on a pilot scale. Solid-state batteries are considered to be a revolution in lithium-ion battery technology for electric vehicles in terms of higher ranges with significantly reduced charging times. Through his investigations of production processes and their influence on battery component structures and battery properties, he was able to develop process-structure-property relationships. These make it possible to adjust production processes in such a way that the best possible battery properties are achieved. The developed production technologies can be brought to large industrial scale within a few years using the material systems and formulations used in this work.

The NFF Doktorandenpreis

Every two years, the NFF Doktorandenpreis recognises outstanding scientific work that supports the goals of the NFF with regard to the vision of sustainable mobility. The two awarded theses must differ in terms of their classification in the NFF research fields as well as in their subject discipline.

The award was donated by Dr Volker Hanshold and his wife Ulrike Hanshold-Kunerth and is endowed with 2,500 euros each. The private donors would like to support the interdisciplinary approach of the research centre. The donors are particularly interested in using the NFF Doktorandenpreis to motivate young researchers to scientifically develop and implement innovations in the field of sustainable mobility.