Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NICKEFFECT (Ni-BASED FERROMAGNETIC COATINGS WITH ENHANCED EFFICIENCY TO REPLACE Pt IN ENERGY & DIGITAL STORAGE APPLICATIONS)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-06-01 al 2023-11-30
Platinum group metals (PGM) are currently highly demanded due to their unique properties, making them indispensable in various strategic sectors such as renewable energy, electric mobility, and digital technologies. However, the high cost and dependence on importation from other countries pose significant risks for the development of strategic applications in key industrial sectors in Europe. Recognizing the critical nature of PGMs, categorized as critical raw materials (CRM) by the EC, the NICKEFFECT project has identified an opportunity to address these challenges.
In this context, NICKEFFECT aims to replace PGMs with nickel, an earth-abundant element with ferromagnetic properties. The project focuses on three key applications, such as: electrolyser electrodes, fuel cell catalysts, and magneto-electronic devices. To enhance the performance of Ni-based materials, NICKEFFECT will employ innovative deposition techniques to develop coatings with ordered and pseudo-ordered porosity. The increased surface-to-volume ratio provided by these coatings is expected to enhance catalytic performance and contribute to the converse magnetoelectric effect (CME) in electronic devices. NICKEFFECT sets out to develop and validate at least three new materials, along with the corresponding coating methodologies, process modeling, and decision support tools for materials selection, as well as explore various recyclability strategies to recover up to 90% of Ni. These tools will integrate safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) criteria and materials modeling to ensure the viability and eco-friendliness of the alternatives.
The project aims to advance technology from the proof-of-concept (TRL3) to validation in real environments (TRL5). The partners will take NICKEFFECT results and elevate the technology further reaching higher TRLs and paving the way towards market-ready PGM-free coating materials and solutions in a variety of industrial applications. NICKEFFECT aligns with the objectives of the twin green and digital transformations, aiming to have a significant scientific and socio-economic impact on Europe's industrial landscape within the project duration, as well as in a long-term perspective. By focusing on safety and sustainability, NICKEFFECT seeks to contribute to resilient, sustainable, and secure raw materials value chains for EU industrial ecosystems.
In this context, NICKEFFECT aims to replace PGMs with nickel, an earth-abundant element with ferromagnetic properties. The project focuses on three key applications, such as: electrolyser electrodes, fuel cell catalysts, and magneto-electronic devices. To enhance the performance of Ni-based materials, NICKEFFECT will employ innovative deposition techniques to develop coatings with ordered and pseudo-ordered porosity. The increased surface-to-volume ratio provided by these coatings is expected to enhance catalytic performance and contribute to the converse magnetoelectric effect (CME) in electronic devices. NICKEFFECT sets out to develop and validate at least three new materials, along with the corresponding coating methodologies, process modeling, and decision support tools for materials selection, as well as explore various recyclability strategies to recover up to 90% of Ni. These tools will integrate safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) criteria and materials modeling to ensure the viability and eco-friendliness of the alternatives.
The project aims to advance technology from the proof-of-concept (TRL3) to validation in real environments (TRL5). The partners will take NICKEFFECT results and elevate the technology further reaching higher TRLs and paving the way towards market-ready PGM-free coating materials and solutions in a variety of industrial applications. NICKEFFECT aligns with the objectives of the twin green and digital transformations, aiming to have a significant scientific and socio-economic impact on Europe's industrial landscape within the project duration, as well as in a long-term perspective. By focusing on safety and sustainability, NICKEFFECT seeks to contribute to resilient, sustainable, and secure raw materials value chains for EU industrial ecosystems.
Within the first 18 months of the project activities the progress has been substantial. The main focus of the technical activities was on the development of the materials´ fabrication methods with tailored properties and oriented towards the application in the specific Use Cases. The elaboration of machine learning models and electrodeposition process models guided the experimental work towards the materials with enhanced performances. In parallel, an initial chemical risk assessment (CRA) and life cycle/cost (LCA/LCC) assessments were performed to identify hot spots of environmental impacts. The main achievements can be represented as follows:
- The methods to fabricate various Ni-based materials with tunable porosity levels and controlled composition, thickness and microstructure have been developed at the laboratory scale combining physical, chemical and physico-chemical deposition techniques.
- A qualitative CRA capsuling all the requirements to ensure the health, the environmental and the goods safety has been developed and implemented for three Ni-based alloy compositions.
- Preliminary results of LCA/LCC assessments based on the laboratory-scale experiments have been performed for three different Ni-based materials.
- Machine learning model has been trained to predict the electrodeposition conditions leading to materials with enhanced catalytic activity towards hydrogen evolution and durability.
- The electrodeposition process model has been extended with required functionality to simulate electrochemical processes onto realistic electrodes with complex shapes.
- Material & Process Information Management System (based on Ansys Granta MI) has been created and data population has been started.
- The methods to fabricate various Ni-based materials with tunable porosity levels and controlled composition, thickness and microstructure have been developed at the laboratory scale combining physical, chemical and physico-chemical deposition techniques.
- A qualitative CRA capsuling all the requirements to ensure the health, the environmental and the goods safety has been developed and implemented for three Ni-based alloy compositions.
- Preliminary results of LCA/LCC assessments based on the laboratory-scale experiments have been performed for three different Ni-based materials.
- Machine learning model has been trained to predict the electrodeposition conditions leading to materials with enhanced catalytic activity towards hydrogen evolution and durability.
- The electrodeposition process model has been extended with required functionality to simulate electrochemical processes onto realistic electrodes with complex shapes.
- Material & Process Information Management System (based on Ansys Granta MI) has been created and data population has been started.
The obtained results represent a significant advancement beyond the state of the art:
1) Novel PGM-free electrodes for hydrogen production in water electrolyzers have been fabricated and demonstrated a high catalytic activity and durability at the lab scale. The patentability of such electrodes is under evaluation.
2) The activity of Ni-based materials towards hydrogen evolution reaction has been increased by employing the suggestions from a developed machine learning model.
3) Two different strategies have been defined to achieve a comparable level of efficiency in MRAM devices by substituting Pt with Ni, including the angstrom-range control of layer thicknesses in multitasks and converse magnetoelectric approach.
4) The developed version of MITReM with a realistic electrode geometry allowed to create a virtual twin of the electrochemical cell used to prepare 3D Ni-based electrodes thus allowing to realize a computer aided engineering of pilot cell for the electrode production.
5) Currently CRA and LCA/LCC data are being integrated with the purpose to build the decision support tool. They will be incorporated through a multi-criteria analysis scheme, offering the flexibility to tailor the tool’s function based on case-specific requirements.
1) Novel PGM-free electrodes for hydrogen production in water electrolyzers have been fabricated and demonstrated a high catalytic activity and durability at the lab scale. The patentability of such electrodes is under evaluation.
2) The activity of Ni-based materials towards hydrogen evolution reaction has been increased by employing the suggestions from a developed machine learning model.
3) Two different strategies have been defined to achieve a comparable level of efficiency in MRAM devices by substituting Pt with Ni, including the angstrom-range control of layer thicknesses in multitasks and converse magnetoelectric approach.
4) The developed version of MITReM with a realistic electrode geometry allowed to create a virtual twin of the electrochemical cell used to prepare 3D Ni-based electrodes thus allowing to realize a computer aided engineering of pilot cell for the electrode production.
5) Currently CRA and LCA/LCC data are being integrated with the purpose to build the decision support tool. They will be incorporated through a multi-criteria analysis scheme, offering the flexibility to tailor the tool’s function based on case-specific requirements.