INERRANT aims to drive genuine advancements for safe-and-sustainable-by-design materials, and eco-friendly processes, to ensure the economical and widespread utilization of safer LIBs tailored for the expanding electromobility applications in our modern society. To realize this, INERRANT is formulating a holistic approach to enhance safety performance, extend cyclability and operational lifespan, and improve fast charging, all while maintaining cost-effectiveness, energy, and power density, and avoiding dependence on Critical Raw Materials. The pivotal S&T challenges encompass: development of functional materials, design sustainable recycling processes and understanding of pertinent interfacial phenomena and degradation mechanisms. The project addresses current challenges for LIBs components related to (i) novel (nano)materials combinations for anodes and cathodes; (ii) smart-functioning separators; (iii) stimuli responsive electrolyte formulations; (iv) novel sustainable recycling processes to improve the purity of recovered materials. Novel electrochemical characterization methods and operando spectroscopies, both at the materials and component level, will be utilized. This includes the establishment of a metrological framework for traceable calibrations and the integration of machine learning methodologies for swift and early LIB cell aging predictions. Adopting fabrication methods that are inherently scalable, built upon existing pilot lines and proven safety testing, will facilitate a swift progression to Gigafactory-relevant scales. INERRANT will present a compelling business case and clear exploitation strategy, rooted in the consortium’s strategic insight, guaranteeing effective technology commercialization. This approach will support the economical and eco-friendly production of LIB cells and systems, tailored for e-mobility applications. INERRANT comprises a consortium of 11 partners from the European Commission and one associated partner from the USA.

EMPHASIS aims to develop a new science-oriented and circular-economy approach, for the design and production of next-generation supercapacitors (SCs) achieving the technical specifications defined in the European SET plan targets for 2030. Three main SC components, i.e. electrodes, current collectors and electrolytes, will be optimized to achieve their best combination resulting in very high energy and power density, cyclability, and charge/discharge ratio, reducing at the same time production cost and environmental footprint in comparison to the extant technologies. Laser-assisted methods will be employed to transform biomass to high mass-density films of graphene and graphene/nanoclusters hybrids, offering a dry method for in-situ electrode fabrication. High-surface-area activated carbons and metal-free current collectors with 3D morphology will be produced starting from new bio-based (cellulose) precursors. Novel, green IL-based recyclable electrolytes operating over a wide temperature and voltage window, will be designed and synthesized by industrially-relevant processes to ensure upscaling. Various concepts of SCs (symmetric, asymmetric, hybrid) will be designed and optimized for two specific end-user applications, flexible SCs for wearable technology (medical clothing) and the automotive industry (fuel cell powered vehicles). In both applications, the custom-designed and implemented SCs target to the replacement of batteries in an effort to eliminate the use of CRMs and unsafe/toxic chemicals. Life-cycle analysis will consider environmental and cost-feasibility impact to ensure innovation in the frame of circular economy. EMPHASIS will establish new value chains with energy storage products, essential to future competitiveness and prosperity of the EU industry. To this direction, the project aspires to develop digital technologies that fulfill the Green Deal objectives for secure raw materials, to pave the way for a twin green and digital transformation.

Sustainable storage of electrical energy is one of this century’s main challenges, and battery production is one of the future key industries with an estimated market potential of 250 Billion Euros by 2025 as stated by the European Commission. We contribute to this by establishing an RF-nanotechnology toolbox for Li-ion batteries and beyond Lithium batteries. The specific focus is on the nanoscale structure of the 10-50 nm thick SEI (solid electrolyte interphase) layer, which is of pivotal importance for battery performance and safety, but which is difficult to characterize and optimize with currently available techniques. The toolbox contains new nanoscale high-frequency GHz methods that are ultra-fast and capable of testing and quantifying the relevant electrical processes at the SEI, several orders of magnitude better than currently available techniques. Nanoscale imaging of the SEI electrical conductivity at high GHz frequencies will be done for the first time, and impedance changes are measured during electrochemical processes, supported by advanced modelling and simulation techniques. Several methods are tested in pilot-lines, including advanced electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and a newly developed self-discharge method that shortens the electrical formation process in battery production from 2 weeks to 10 min. Finally, the new methods will be used for high-throughput incoming quality control in the battery module production at our automotive end users, where 30.000 cells will be tested per day. In summary, we develop a solid basis of GHz-nanotech instrumentation to improve cell production and testing, resulting in major advantages for manufacturers and customers, for instance reduced waste and energy consumption, and longer lasting batteries that are safer with 90% improved thermal runaway. Project results will be disseminated to a large stakeholder group, with technical workshops (e.g. e-car rally) and conferences in nanotech and battery production.

The OASIS project aims at fulfilling market potential of nano-enabled multifunctional lightweight composites, particularly of polymer-matrix and aluminium composites. The OASIS gathers manufacturing capacity of 12 pilot lines for the industrial production of nanoscale structures in unprocessed form, intermediate products with nanoscale features and nano-enabled products as well as other complementary technical (modeling, characterization, toxicology, life cycle assessment) and non-technical services (Business innovation coaching, business planning, access to private capital). These modular services will be provided to companies, particularly to SMEs, to gain access to unique facilities and knowledge without high capital investment. Such support is particularly needed at the crossroads between three KETs (nanotechnologies, advanced materials and advanced manufacturing and processes) and in era of multifunctional products when wide scope of know-how is needed for pre-production or industrial low-medium volume production. The companies will access these wide offering infrastructures by a single-entry point, which will ensure quality customer relationship and management from request formalization to delivery. The multi-pilot line manufacturing capacity of OASIS will be validated by 6 industrial showcases, where lightweight products (TRL6-7) ensure significant impact in construction, automotive, energy and aeronautic industries. The complete OASIS services to SMEs will be demonstrated by 6-12 democases, which will be selected from identified and potential clients by an open call, to ensure highest possible impact. The OASIS will set up economically sustainable open innovation structure, leveraging the previous investments for the full benefit of European companies introducing new added-value products based on nanotechnologies