Projects within "Energy Efficiency with Nanotechnology"

The projects will run for three years from 2010 until 2013. The overall scope of the sub-program is to improve the efficiency of future sustainable energy systems by applying nanotechnology to the transport sector, energy conversion and energy use.

Research towards Nordic Industrialization of the Salt-and-Paper Battery

The objective of the project Research towards Nordic Industrialization of the Salt-and-Paper Battery is to carry out the research and development necessary to form the foundation for future commercialisation of a new type of paper-based, environment-friendly supercapacitors and battery.

This project encompasses research on a new type of cellulose-based nanomaterials for novel, efficient and environment-friendly energy storage devices. The innovative design of the proposed energy storage systems is based on the technology of coating individual cellulose fibres by 50-nanometre-thick layers of conductive polymer to obtain a lightweight, flexible, mechanically robust electrode material of large surface area with good charge capacity and very high charging rates.

Since the proposed energy storage devices involve water-based electrolytes and most likely can be manufactured entirely of non-metal components, these devices represent a largely unexploited resource for production of easily-disposable environment-friendly energy storage systems.

Participating institutions in this project are: Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) (FI), FMC Bio Polymer AS (NO), ETC Battery and FuelCells Sweden AB (SE), FOV Fabrics AB (SE). The project is lead by Maria Strømme from Uppsala University Holding AB (SE).

Nano Coatings for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) can convert hydrogen (but also other fuels) with high efficiency into electricity at very low emissions. Thus on the short term SOFC can contribute to a more efficient use of existing fuels and on the slightly longer term SOFC can contribute to a CO2 neutral energy production. SOFC can also be operated in a combined fuel cell and electrolysis mode to generate fuel from surplus electricity when this is available and to convert fuel back into electricity when needed.

This will be a key function for power-grid load-balancing and hence help the large scale introduction of sustainable energy sources like wind- and solar power. However, SOFCs with today’s technology have not the reliability and long-term stability that would make a large scale use feasible. A number of degradation mechanisms are related to the steel parts of the fuel cell in combination with a high operating temperature of 700-900°C.

The Nano Coatings for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells project investigates the use of nano-coatings to prevent these degradation mechanisms. E.g. by the application of thin films of cerium the corrosion rates of the material can be reduced substantially. Other coatings (or combinations of coatings) can be used to improve chemical stability or electronic properties. In the course of the project the coatings will be applied by a large scale industrial process.

Participating institutions in this project are: University of Oslo (NO), Topsoe Fuel Cell A/S (DK), AB Sandvik Materials Technology (SE). The project is lead by Jan-Erik Svensson from Chalmers University of Technology (SE).

TOPNANO

Ice causes major problems for aircraft, in wind turbines and in heat exchangers. Today’s methods using heating and chemical treatments are expensive and may be inefficient and unsustainable. Using nanotechnology it is possible to create surfaces where ice does not stick; this technology is now being developed in the TOPNANO project. The aim is to develop sustainable and efficient methods based on nanotechnology to reduce problems and costs with ice build-up.

Participating institutions in this project are:  Saab Aerosystems (SE), Royal Institute of Technology (SE), AkzoNobel (NO), MW Innovation (SE), NIBE (SE), Re-turn AS (NO), Sapa Heat Transfer AB (SE), Vattenfall (DK), Vestas A/S (DK), Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) (FI), Aarhus University (DK). The project is lead by: Agne Swerin from YKI, Institute for Surface Chemistry (SE).