Project description
Solar-driven sustainable manufacturing
Membranes are one of the most energy-efficient separation methods available today, but they are also highly energy-intensive and resource-demanding in terms of manufacturing. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SUN-MEM project will develop a solar-driven photoelectrochemical platform to manufacture high-performance metal-organic framework membranes under ambient, off-grid conditions, eliminating the need for energy-intensive conventional synthesis. It takes circular economy principles into consideration, using recyclable material resources, including recovered zinc from batteries and substances derived from polyethylene terephthalate plastic waste, as well as producing additional useful by-products of hydrogen and oxygen during the process.
Objective
Membrane-based separations are among the most energy-efficient alternatives to conventional processes such as distillation, yet the fabrication of high-performance membranes remains energy- and resource-intensive. Metal–organic framework (MOF) membranes offer exceptional selectivity and tunability for demanding separations, including propylene/propane (C₃H₆/C₃H₈) and lithium/magnesium (Li⁺/Mg²⁺), but current hydro/solvothermal fabrication methods require high temperatures, pressures, grid electricity, and purified chemical precursors. This project, SUN-MEM, introduces a solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) platform for MOF membrane fabrication under ambient conditions, eliminating external electrical input and enabling off-grid operation. The method directly integrates waste valorisation by using zinc ions recovered from spent Zn–Mn batteries and terephthalic acid (TPA) from PET plastic waste as precursors. Solar illumination simultaneously drives anodic and cathodic interfacial reactions, lowering nucleation barriers, enabling rapid growth within one hour, and producing valuable H2 and O2 by-products. The approach is compatible with both imidazolate (ZIF-8) and carboxylate (UiO-66) chemistries, demonstrated on flat plate and hollow fiber substrates for industrial scalability. Compared with conventional synthesis, SUN-MEM can reduce electricity consumption by over 95%, precursor costs by 65%, and manufacturing CO2 emissions by 84%, while contributing to the upcycling of over 4.9 Mt PET and 34 kt battery waste generated annually in the EU. By bridging solar energy conversion, MOF membrane engineering, and circular economy principles, the project delivers a disruptive route to sustainable, energy-autonomous membrane manufacturing, aligned with the EU Green Deal and Zero Pollution Ambition, and enabling equitable access to advanced separations in resource-limited regions.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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.
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 environmental engineering energy and fuels renewable energy solar energy
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry transition metals
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences environmental sciences pollution
- engineering and technology chemical engineering separation technologies distillation
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels energy conversion
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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.
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
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.
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
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.
SW7 2AZ London
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.