ENARGIZINC

Start date: 1 January 2024

End date: 31 December 2027

Grant agreement ID: 101120311

Electrochemical energy storage (EES) is crucial in a carbon-neutral future. However, the current battery value chain presents significant risks, especially with regard to the supply of critical raw materials. eNargiZinc aims to develop new knowledge, technology and commercially exploitable products related to innovative and affordable next generation EES devices, targeting long-term sustainability through the use of abundant, renewable materials and low environmental impact production processes. A rigorous research training programme has been designed for eleven PhD candidates (DC), eight funded by the EU and three funded by the UK National Funding Agency (UKRI), through an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach, including studies on all the essential building blocks needed to develop sodium-ion batteries, zinc-air batteries and zinc-ion batteries/supercapacitors. Research within eNargiZinc will focus on the development of sustainable electrode materials (biomass-derived carbons and their composites, redox active polymers, hybrid transition metal oxides and interfaces for anode-free concepts), electrolytes (gel and solid-state polymer types), and especially on the integration of all developed components into complete cells on an industrially relevant scale. A customised training package will be designed for each DC to enable them to acquire the required skills during the three years of employment within the network. To this end, placements with other partners (especially in the non-academic sector), training in complementary skills, and training events will be implemented throughout the network. The consortium, which is composed of six beneficiaries and twelve associated partners, aims to achieve the objectives of eNargiZinc and is based on excellence, synergy and complementarity. Industrial partners will play a key role in the network, providing developing countries with exposure to the private sector and access to industrially relevant facilities, which are essential to validate laboratory-scale findings.

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