In September, Miroslav Mikolasek, the Head of the Battery group of Institute of Electronics and Photonics STU, visited the University of Twente and held meetings with colleagues Prasanth Venugopal and Sai Mulpuri, as well as a short discussion with Prof. Dr. Thiago Batista Soeiro, head of the Power Electronics and Energy Systems group.
On the first day, the visit included a guided tour of laboratories dedicated to power electronics and battery technologies. These facilities are equipped with advanced infrastructure for high-power conversion, battery testing, and system integration, enabling research across the full spectrum from cell characterization to system-level validation.
Key technical discussions focused on:
- Molicel cell formation: Review of current experimental results and methodologies applied to optimize performance and reliability during the formation process.
- Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS): Exchange on challenges of accurate measurement and data evaluation on Molicel cells, including reproducibility and interpretation of spectra.
- Measurement setup verification: Joint inspection of the EIS test configuration, followed by a discussion of potential improvements to increase accuracy and resolution of spectra, particularly under dynamic operating conditions.
On the second day, the tour was hosted by Prof. Shun Yang from the Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET), accompanied by PhD candidate Mr. Niraj Chauhan. The visit comprised a tour of other laboratories and meetings with research groups working in the thematic areas of additive manufacturing, second-life applications, and pilot line development for battery production.
The visits included:
- Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for Advanced Manufacturing at the University of Twente (FIP-AM@UT) – a joint innovation hub focusing on the development and industrial translation of advanced manufacturing technologies, supporting pilot-scale prototyping and technology transfer.
- CUBE – the design and engineering facility at Twente that provides a creative environment for innovation, prototyping, and collaboration between academia and industry.
- Pilot Line for Cell Manufacturing – a dedicated facility for experimental production of battery cells, enabling validation of new materials, processes, and scalable manufacturing methods.
During the visit to CUBE, there was also an opportunity to meet Mr. Arun Olsen from Elysian, who is working on advanced Batteries testing and design for aircraft applications.
The visit provided valuable insights into the Twente group’s strong expertise in high-efficiency power conversion, grid integration of storage systems, advanced diagnostic methods, and the broader ecosystem of manufacturing and applied research facilities. The discussions helped to identify concrete opportunities for improving measurement methodologies and for extending cooperation in the field of battery diagnostics, modelling, and pilot-scale manufacturing.