PROJECT
High Performing Electrically Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries for sustainable mid-term energy storage (HIPERZAB) responds to the need of the development of safe, sustainable, high-performing batteries (generation 5 batteries), based on 3D structured anode, critical raw material free bifunctional cathode, a bilayer-GPE based on naturally occurring biopolymer for application in days-to-weeks stationary storage.
HIPERZAB will support Europe, in this sense, on its transition towards a climate-neutral continent since stationary energy sector is key for the realisation of emission-free future.
OBJECTIVES
The overall concept of the project is to design and validate in lab the ERZAB as a mid-term EES technology with high gravimetric energy density and long-term stability by using non-toxic, low cost and bio-based breakthrough battery components aided by computational chemistry and operando characterization techniques. HIPERZAB will move from TRL 1-2 to TRL 4.
Objective´s description
- Design and develop a porous 3D structured Zn/biopolymer composite electrode through electrochemical room temperature cold sintering process (RT-CSP).
- Design and develop a beyond SoA air electrode based on identification of CRM-free bifunctional electrocatalyst, thin film copolymer gas diffusion layer (GDL) and optimized electrode architecture (gas diffusion electrode, GDE).
- Design and develop a unique bilayer gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) combining the advantage of alkaline pH for Zn anode and slightly acid pH for air cathode by using naturally occurring biopolymers.
- Quantify, compare, and rank final cell design against SoA on multiple environmental and cost criteria to demonstrate the feasibility of a radically economic battery technology.
- Unravelling the correlations between materials, operating conditions, and electrochemical phenomena upon cycling through operando characterisations and multiscale modelling.
- Design and validate a device with a gel electrode assembly (GEA) and a structured cathode current collector under relevant use-case operations
- Establish the roadmap to impact the market.