CORDIS

The ultimate aim of the NANOCOFC project was to enhance research capacities on nanotechnology, multi-functional materials and advanced applications. Innovations and advances were created on the multi-functional nanocomposites possessing superionic and dual (hybrid) H+/O2- conduction and next generation Fuel cell (FC) technology. The project was based on the existing Sino-Swedish Intermediate and low temperature solid oxide fuel cell (IT/LTSOFC) network cooperation with prominent research institutions in the European Union (EU) and Turkey, and aimed at the following:
- networking research cooperation and joint activities;
- the development of centre infrastructure and research or innovation strategies;
- the exchange and sharing of personnel, information, resources and research methodologies
- the organisation of the seminars and European Commission (EC) - China NANOCOFC (nanocomposite LTSOFCs) workshops;
- the raise of public participation and awareness;
- the promotion of the trans-technology and research achievements to industry;
- the establishment of new ways of research production in cooperation with China.

The project network consisted of seven European countries, one United Nations' organisation and four Chinese participants selected from the Sino-Swedish IT / LTSOFC network. Furthermore, the technical approaches that were adopted were the following:
1. application of nanotechnology to create ultra-low cost FCs and FCs of superior performance to increase the marketability;
2. innovations in materials and technical approaches of nanocomposite LTSOFCs to explore new FC commercial routes / opportunities / potentials;
3. i) superionic conduction in interfaces between the constituent phases of the composite, thus tremendously reducing SOFC working temperature from 1000 to 300-600 degrees of Celsius. This interfacial superionic conduction mechanism in composites was advanced with much lower activation energy and continuous transport channels compared to the conventional single-phase materials; and ii) dual H+/O2- conduction to enhance significantly the FC charge carrier concentrations, thus power outputs. Nanocomposite approach created superionic conductivity, 10-1 Scm-1 at 500 degrees of Celsius (comparable to yttrium stabilised zirconia conductivity at 1000 degrees of Celsius), and dual phase O2-/H+ conduction, resulting in excellent LTSOFC technology, 800-1000 mWcm-2 at 500-580 degrees of Celsius, which guarantees successful applications.

The expected achievements of the project were the following:

1. To establish a EC-China NANOCOFC network and a database for existing human and equipment potential in EU, as well as the organisation of activities such as seminars, workshops, meetings, summer courses, the mobilisation of senior and young scientists in cooperation with the FC and nanotechnology areas.

2. Organise and motivate NANOCOFC studies:
i) development of advanced nanocomposites and multifunctional materials;
ii) fundamentals on interfacial phenomena and theories on nanocomposite ionics;
iii) nanocomposite approach in developing 300 - 600 degrees of Celsius LTSOFCs;
iv) material and device processing, engineering and producing to provide the solution and feasibility to develop marketable FC technologies.

3. To exchange accumulated knowledge in the parties, the workshops, seminars and website development in order to provide better dissemination of knowledge and expertise in the participating institutions, European Union (EU) and China

4. To raise public participation and awareness and impacts on China, to setup future production base using plentiful resources to commercialise EU.