Imagine replacing a rare, expensive gold-like metal with a common one like nickel, but keeping the same high performance. The team creates a special 'sponge-like' structure on the nickel surface to give it more active area to work with. This makes it efficient enough to power green energy tools and high-tech memory chips without the high cost.
Industries relying on Platinum Group Metals (PGM) face extreme costs and high supply chain risks due to dependence on non-EU imports of these critical raw materials.
Three new Ni-based materials, coating methodologies using electrodeposition and sputtering, and decision support tools for material selection based on sustainability criteria.
If you are an electrolyser manufacturer dealing with the high cost of platinum group metals — this project developed Ni-based coatings that replace these expensive materials in electrodes to lower production costs.
If you are a fuel cell stack producer dealing with supply chain risks of critical raw materials — this project developed high-performance Ni-based catalysts that reduce dependence on imported PGMs.
If you are a semiconductor manufacturer dealing with the need for efficient magneto-electronic devices — this project developed Ni-based ferromagnetic coatings that enhance the converse magnetoelectric effect.
By replacing expensive Platinum Group Metals (PGM), which are categorized as critical raw materials, with earth-abundant nickel, the project aims to reduce material costs and import dependencies.
The project is advancing technology from proof-of-concept (TRL3) to validation in real environments (TRL5), with activities currently progressing toward defining and realizing scale-up processes.
Based on available project data, the project is developing at least 3 new materials and corresponding coating methodologies, which may lead to proprietary process modeling and selection tools.
Yes, the project integrates safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) criteria to ensure the materials are eco-friendly and viable for EU industrial ecosystems.
The project period runs from 2022-06-01 to 2026-05-31, moving from laboratory scale to real-environment validation.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 58% industry ratio, comprising 7 industrial partners (including 5 SMEs) across 7 countries. This strong commercial presence, led by FUNDACION CIDETEC, suggests a high focus on market viability and a direct pipeline from research to industrial application.
Contact FUNDACION CIDETEC in Spain for licensing and partnership inquiries.
Contact us to connect with the NICKEFFECT consortium for PGM-free material integration.
