WP2
We have developed a comprehensive document that analyzes cell and component specifications for the HIPERZAB system. These estimations are tailored to different end-user profiles.
WP3
For the acidic layers, various natural-based materials have been explored, including carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), alginate, and agarose. The formulation processes for these membranes have been identified, and their macroscopic physical properties characterized. Symmetric cells incorporating these materials have been tested, with cycling at a current density of 0.5 mA/cm² for up to 1,400 hours. Initial testing has also been performed with a calcium vanadate (CaV₆O₁₆)-based cathode material. For the alkaline layer, the focus has primarily been on agarose, with efforts to develop different crosslinking chemistries aimed at reducing electrolyte loss during aging, which contributes to the decay of electrochemical properties. Initial symmetric coin cell tests using zinc foil have been completed.
WP4
For the cathode catalyst development, an initial screening of synthesis and characterization for the High-Entropy Oxide (HEO) Critical Raw Material (CRM)-free catalyst was performed on the La(0.8)Sr(0.2)Mn(x)Fe(y)Co(z)CoO(3+d) family. The synthesized candidates were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), ellipsometry, Direct Current Optical Emission Spectroscopy (DC-OES), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy to determine the stoichiometry of cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn), as well as the lattice parameters, characteristic Raman bands, and surface roughness. These observables were subsequently used to develop a machine learning model optimized via Bayesian optimization.
WP5
For the acidic layers, different natural based materials have been explored, including CMC, alginate and agarose. The formulation process of the various membranes has been identified and their macroscopic physical properties characterized. Symmetric cells have been tested with the different materials, with cycling at 0.5 mA/cm2 up to 1400 hours. Initial testing with a CaV6O16 based cathode material has been performed. For the alkaline layer, studies has been focused mainly on Agarose and developing different crosslinking chemistries to decrease the amount of electrolyte loss (and therefore decay of electrochemical properties) during aging. Initial symmetric coin cells tests with zinc foil have been performed. Further testing on big-cells setup with Zn paste electrodes converted for symmetric cycling are undergoing due to the limitations observed with the use of Zinc foil due to passivation and increased overpotential during cycling. Tests in the big cells with Zinc paste achieves 700+ hours of cycling at 5 mA/cm2 with limited overpotential of 20 mV.
