New EU technology for better products and safer work environments
EU-funded researchers at the University of Leicester in the UK are exploring alternatives to the use of harmful toxic acids inherent in many manufacturing processes. One of the aims of their research is to improve the working conditions of those exposed to carcinogenic toxic acids and electrolytes that are used in some processes today, such as those relating to commercial metal finishing and energy storage. Funding provided under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) will support work begun by the team over four years ago within the IONMET ('New ionic liquid solvent technology to transform metal finishing products and processes') project. IONMET was financed under the 'Nanotechnologies and nano-sciences, knowledge-based multifunctional materials and new production processes and devices' (NMP) Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Dr Karl Ryder, senior lecturer at the University of Leicester, is a key member of the team of academics, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers involved in the study. He explained that the new funding provided through FP7 will help drive promising research areas identified under IONMET. These new projects will allow the researchers to produce new ionic liquid solvent technologies and apply those developed under the original project to different manufacturing processes. The solvent technologies are a safe, non-toxic, environmentally friendly alternative to current (and sometimes harmful) commercially used methodologies. As a replacement technology, the solvents perform just as well as existing processes, even outperforming current methods in some cases. Funded under FP7's NMP Thematic area, the objective of the new POLYZION ('Fast rechargeable zinc-polymer battery based on ionic liquids') project is to create an environmentally friendly and affordable rechargeable battery for electric vehicle applications. As an alternative to the heavy and expensive batteries currently used, the new technology proposed by the team will be lightweight, cheaper and less harmful to the environment. Of all the new research leads inspired by the IONMET project, Dr Ryder considers POLYZION to be the most exciting. 'It brings together two research themes I've had side by side for a long time, representing the culmination of two areas of work. I am confident it will be as good as it promises to be,' he says. The team has also received funding under FP7 to develop a new technology for surface treatment of circuit boards that are found in many electronic devices. The project, scheduled to begin this year, will provide an alternative method to problematic commercial processes. 'It's nice to be involved with both the academic side and the cutting edge of industrial processes. This represents a very challenging combination of fundamental and applied science,' noted Dr Ryder.
Countries
United Kingdom