Project description
Production approach for advancing Zn-Air battery technology
Zinc–air batteries (ZABs) offer a more sustainable, safe, cost-effective, and high-performance alternative to lithium-based batteries, and are attracting renewed interest. However, design challenges have so far limited their use to small-scale applications such as watches and hearing aids. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the FlexZAB project will develop a production method for printed, flexible ZABs. This approach will address key limitations in current designs, including sluggish oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions, while significantly enhancing performance. The project will incorporate high-entropy MXenes in the production process, enabling the use of additive-free inks and cathodes through aerosol direct-write printing, an innovation that promises to boost battery efficiency and expand the potential of ZABs.
Objective
The FlexZAB proposal introduces an innovative approach to producing a new generation of printed flexible Zn-air batteries (ZABs), addressing key challenges such as sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics and high overpotential in traditional ZABs, while preserving the integrity of the support structure without traditional high-temperature sintering during manufacturing. The central component of this approach in FlexZAB is the synthesis and use of high-entropy MXenes (HEMXs), which play a pivotal role in both the fabrication process and the improved performance of the ZAB.
MXenes, a family of two-dimensional (2D) carbides and nitrides of transition metals, are highly regarded for their flexibility, superior electrical conductivity, and partially metallic properties. Their 2D morphology makes them ideal for flexible applications, and they exhibit plasmonic effects under light irradiation, akin to Au and Ag. Incorporating multiple transition metals at the M site in HEMXs introduces a nearly infinite range of tunable compositions and properties. This leads to a quasi-continuous density of electronic surface states, promoting complex and reversible catalytic reactions such as ORR and OER.
During flexible ZAB fabrication process of FlexZAB, the plasmonic properties of HEMXs will facilitate light-triggered sintering during manufacturing. The flexibility and interconnect of HEMXs serve as binders, enabling the production of additive-free inks and cathodes through aerosol direct-write printing. In battery operation, HEMXs boost performance by enhancing charge transport through high electrical conductivity. Additionally, their compositional versatility and abundant surface adsorption/reaction sites catalytically accelerate ORR and OER, resulting in more efficient battery performance.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering manufacturing engineering
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry inorganic compounds
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
08930 Sant Adria De Besos
Spain
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