4th Joint Call: “Efficient Energy Storage and Distribution”.

5 projects were selected for a 3 years funding duration.
9 funding agencies from 8 European countries and Japan took part in the Joint Call.
The committed budget amount was €2,234,896.

Novel carbon-free cathode materials for metal-air rechargeable batteries (CarFree)

Mario Aparicio, Glass and Ceramic Institute (CSIC), Scientific Researcher (Spain)
Kiyoharu Tadanaga, Hokkaido University, Professor (Japan)
Tugrul Cetinkaya, Sakarya University, Assistant Professor (Turkey)
Alejandro A. Franco, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Professor (France)

Lithium–oxygen (Li-O2) batteries using non-aqueous electrolytes have been suggested for large-scale storage of electric power because of a very high theoretical energy density. However, carbon-based air-electrodes decompose at potentials above 3.5 V vs Li/Li+ in the presence of Li2O2 and its intermediates formed during charge-discharge reactions, producing poor cyclability and coulombic efficiency with large over potential. The main objective of the project is to explore the feasibility of different synthesis routes to develop novel carbon-free cathode electrode materials for these batteries. These new air-electrodes are based on Ti, Mo, Fe, Zr, Ta, Mn (oxides, carbides, nitrides, and combination of them) inserted in a macro-mesoporous interconnected structure. At the same time, stable liquid and polymer electrolytes using different solvents, Li salts, organic additives and ceramic fillers will be developed to use in combination with the new carbon-free cathode materials. A key step in this project is the understanding of the basic ORR and OER mechanisms with these new materials to gain new knowledge of the physics behind performance and outline potentialities of the materials using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, Density Functional Theory and Continuum modeling. The development of novel carbon-free electrode materials for Li-O2 batteries using non-aqueous electrolytes based on non-expensive materials address very well the aim of the Joint Call because this proposal has a highly innovative dimension trying to develop more efficient, reliable and sustainable batteries.

Partners:

VIGILANCER es una experiencia sectorial de aplicación real de un sistema de Vigilancia Competitiva. Concretamente, el sector en el que está implantado es el sector de fabricantes de pavimentos y revestimientos cerámicos y toda una potente industria auxiliar (materias primas, maquinaria, etc.), cuya mayoría de empresas se encuentran formando un clúster dentro de la provincia de Castellón.

Este proyecto es desarrollado por ITC (Instituto de Tecnología Cerámica) y se inició a mediados de 2013 con una serie de reuniones con las empresas involucradas para detectar sus necesidades. A partir de ahí, se desarrolló el sistema y sus herramientas de difusión, comenzando oficialmente con su presentación el pasado 21 de mayo de 2014. Este sistema nace de la inquietud de la Diputación de Castellón por impulsar al sector cerámico en su recuperación y ha estado apoyado económicamente por la misma desde su inicio.

¿QUÉ SE VIGILA?

La actividad de Vigilancia se lleva a cabo sobre una serie de áreas entre las que cabe destacar las siguientes:

• Entorno tecnológico:
  • Nuevos sistemas decorativos

Permanent magnets are crucial in modern technology as they allow storing, delivering and converting energy. They are able to transform electrical energy into mechanical and vice versa, which means that improving their performance entails transforming energy in a more efficient and sustainable way.

The best magnets are based on rare-earths (RE), however, their status as a Critical Raw Material (CRM) has brought forward the realization that it is of great strategic, geographic and socio-economic importance to consider alternative magnets that present a reduced amount (or absence) of RE. One of the most sought approaches towards this goal consists on constructing composite magnetic materials magnetically coupled at the interface.

The goal of AMPHIBIAN is to implement up-scalable and cost-efficient methods for fabrication of ferrite-based  magnets with a 40% enhanced magnetic performance with respect to commercial ferrites. We aim at producing improved magnets that retain the advantages of ferrites –availability, sustainability, cost, recyclability- and which have the potential to substitute currently used RE magnets (CRM) in the electric power system.

PRODUCTION OF QUARTZ POWDERS WITH REDUCED CRYSTALLINE
SILICA TOXICITY – SILIFE

It is well established that Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) produces silicosis, an irreversible and potentially lethal pathological disease. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified RCS in the form of quartz and cristobalite from occupational sources as carcinogenic for humans (category 1) and furthermore, SCR has been included in the Directive (EU) 2017/2398 of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending directive 2004/37/EC (Noticia directiva y RD) on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work (NdP SILIFE Proyecto-cambios legislacion europea).