Project description
Solid-state lithium batteries could render energy storage more sustainable
The European Green Deal is the European Commission’s larger-scale project to deliver a climate-neutral continent by 2050. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the HOPES project is a key part of this scheme. Researchers plan to develop sustainable, cost-efficient batteries that will enable energy storage for a vast number of applications. The objective is to create safer-by-design self-healing all-solid-state alkali metal batteries, which are a better alternative to the currently used lithium–ion batteries. To facilitate the uptake of such batteries, researchers will design solid-state hybrid electrolytes through a circular chemistry approach.
Objective
Threatened by climate change, mankind is facing increasing demands for energy (generation, conversion, and storage) solutions to meet societal needs in a globalized economy. Energy and cost-efficient sustainable batteries will be instrumental in reaching climate-neutral (EU) continent by 2050 and UN SDG N°7 objectives by storing intermittent energy resources and enabling a green transport revolution. To address these grand challenges, the project HOPES targets safer-by-design self-healing All-Solid-State Alkali Metal Batteries (ASSAMBs), thus implementing a paradigm shift going beyond the ubiquitous Lithium-ion Battery (LiB) technology. Taking Lithium Metal Batteries (LMBs) as a post-LiB blueprint for ASSAMBs, Solid-State Hybrid Electrolytes (SSHEs) will be developed through a circular chemistry approach to enable LMBs, facilitating their inception onto the market. Within HOPES, we will i) develop mechanically, thermally, electrochemically tough self-healable and recyclable SSHEs through the colloidal self-assembly of nanosized building blocks consisting of inorganic core and end-group (vitrimer functionality)-functionalized Li+ conducting polycarbonate shell: Hairy NanoParticles (HNPs), and ii) establish multi-scale structure/property correlations with advanced characterization techniques at HNP, SSHE, and LMB levels, including synchrotron-based in situ and operando characterizations on operating LMBs. Depolymerization of HNP’s organic shell will trigger the disassembly of SSHEs, thereby authorizing the recovery & reuse of inorganic NP cores and (bio-based/sourced) cyclocarbonate monomers, but also the recycling & reuse of (NMC811) cathode and Li° anode to secure critical/strategic minerals and metals in EU. In line with roadmaps of the FET-Flagship Battery 2030+ initiative & EBA250, HOPES will act as a springboard to realize ambitions and objectives of the EU Green Deal, thus contributing to position EU as a major research player and battery manufacturer by 2030.
Fields of science
- natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectric batteries
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkali metals
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materials
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
75794 Paris
France