logo
NICKEFFECT aims to develop novel ferromagnetic Ni-based coating materials to replace the scarce and costly Platinum and ensure high efficiency in key applications.

Social Media:

linkedin twitter

Contact:

[email protected]
 

News

On May 4th 2023, the NOUVEAU and NICKEFFECT projects, two initiatives that are leading examples of innovation and research in sustainable materials with a focus on industrial applications, hosted a joint webinar. The webinar was a unique opportunity for the attendees to gain insights into the two projects, their goals and the impact they aim to achieve with their collaboration. It counted with the participation of experts in the field, the project coordinators and also had a dedicated Q&A session.   Nerea Bilbao, Project Adviser for HADEA started by giving an overview of how the two projects were created under the umbrella of the Horizon Europe programme.     "With Horizon Europe, we step up and ambition for a sustainable future. The programme will maximise its impact by strengthening our scientific and technological bases, boosting our innovation capacity, driving the green and digital transitions and supporting and inclusive recovery." - Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research,...

Read More

The NICKEFFECT project has identified an opportunity to replace platinum group metals in key applications such as electrolysers fuel cell catalysts and magneto-electronic devices. The proposed alternative is based on nickel (Ni), an earth-abundant element with a ferromagnetic character.   Platinum group metals have unique characteristics (unreactive, resistant to corrosion, stable at high temperatures) that make them indispensable in different strategic sectors such as renewable energy, electric mobility and digital technologies. These properties make platinum group metals ideal as a catalyst for chemical and electrochemical reactions.   To replace platinum-coated electrodes by using a Nickel-based alternative, the electrodes should have a much higher active surface for reaching equivalent performance.  One way to achieve such an increased active surface is to create a porous micro-structure with a high surface-to-volume ratio. Indeed, the higher surface-to-volume ratio provided by the increased porosity will allow enhancing the catalytic performance or the Converse Magnetoelectric Effect (CME) in electronic devices....

Read More

Electrocatalysis is a process that involves the acceleration of an electrochemical reaction by a catalyst at the electrode surface. The use of electrocatalysis is widespread in many applications, such as energy conversion, environmental remediation, chemical synthesis and many more. The development of efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts requires a fundamental understanding of the underlying physical and chemical phenomena that govern the process, as well as the multiscale interactions between the catalyst, the electrolyte, and the electrode surface.   Electrodeposition is a common technique for the synthesis of electrocatalysts. The process involves the deposition of a metal or a compound onto a substrate using an electric current/potential. This technique can be used to control the morphology, composition, and structure of the electrocatalyst, which in turn affects its performance. On the other hand, both the electrodeposition and electrocatalysis processes are influenced by a multitude of physical and chemical phenomena, such as nucleation and growth, mass transport, chemical and...

Read More

Electrodeposition is an old technique with a blooming present and promising future. Indeed, the first steps of electrodeposition can be traced back to around 1800. It is an electrochemical process that allows the deposition of solid deposits on the surface of conductive materials, also called substrates. Although metal oxides, semiconductors, polymers, and even metal-organic frameworks can be grown by electrodeposition, it is mostly utilised for the preparation of metals and metal alloys via cathodic electrodeposition. Electrodeposition (or electroplating as it is widely known in the metal plating industry) has evolved from an art to an exact science thanks to the number of applications electrodeposited metallic materials possess. This is in part due to the immense possibilities that electrodeposition offers in terms of material dimensionality (thin and thick layers, nanowires, nanotubes, nanoparticles, etc.) and the fact that the set-up is rather simple and the process works at room pressure and often at...

Read More

Nickel is a versatile and essential catalyst in many chemical reactions. Its unique properties, including high reactivity, selectivity, and abundance, make it an attractive option for industrial- scale catalysis. From the refining of crude oil to the production of hydrogen, nickel catalysts play a vital role in many industries, driving progress towards a cleaner and more sustainable future.   Nickel catalysts are used in petroleum refining, where they help to break down complex hydrocarbons into simpler molecules that can be used to produce different chemicals, such as polyethylene, - a plastic used in various products, from bags to containers. Also, nickel catalysts are sometimes employed in the production of ammonia, methanol, and acetic acid.   One of the most important applications of nickel catalysts is in the production of hydrogen gas. Hydrogen is a clean and versatile fuel that can power fuel cells and combustion engines with zero emissions. Nickel catalysts are used in the production of...

Read More

The European Commission is a major contributor to scientific research and innovation, and two projects funded under the Horizon Europe programme are a testament to this. The NOUVEAU project and NICKEFFECT are two innovative initiatives aimed at developing new materials for energy and industrial applications, respectively. Both projects have received funding under the Horizon Europe programme, specifically under the HORIZON-CL4-2021-RESILIENCE-01-12 call.   The NOUVEAU project will focus on the development of solid oxide cells (SOCs) using innovative La- and PMG-free electrode materials, solid electrolyte, and interconnects. The aim of the project is to reduce the amount of rare earth elements (REEs) used in the SOCs by 30% and to use recycled Yt and Cr. The project will employ advanced coating methodologies, modelling techniques, sustainable-by-design approaches, and recycling methods to achieve these goals.   NICKEFFECT, on the other hand, will concentrate on the development of novel ferromagnetic Ni-based coating materials. The project aims to replace...

Read More

Nickel-based coatings have gained popularity in recent years as an alternative to platinum group metal (PGM)-based coatings, due to their cost-effectiveness, corrosion resistance, thermal stability, hardness, and surface finish. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of using nickel-based coatings and how they compare to PGM-based coatings.   One of the major benefits of using nickel-based coatings is their cost. Nickel is significantly less expensive than PGMs, making nickel-based coatings a more cost-effective option for many applications. This cost advantage can be significant for industries such as automotive and electronics where large volumes of coated parts are needed.   Another important benefit of nickel-based coatings is their corrosion resistance. Nickel has good corrosion resistance in a wide range of environments, making it a suitable choice for applications where exposure to corrosive substances is a concern. This makes nickel-based coatings ideal for use in industries such as chemical processing and marine engineering.   In addition to...

Read More

    The Spanish Association for Standardization, UNE, is legally designated as the National Standardization Body of Spain. It is the national representative and member of the European (CEN and CENELEC), International (ISO and IEC) and Pan-American (COPANT) Standards Organizations, and a member of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).   Formally, it is a non-profit-making, private, independent and multisectoral organisation, recognised at National, European and International levels. Through its development of technical standards, UNE helps improve the quality, competitiveness and innovation of companies, products and services.   In NICKEFFECT, UNE will lead all the tasks and deliverables related to the creation of guidelines for standardization for the Industry.  ...

Read More

  F6S Innovation drives technology growth with public funding programmes. They boost the growth and scaling of founders, startups, SMEs and other actors in the innovation ecosystem by managing public funded programmes. Opportunities include equity-free funding and value-driven services such as incubation and acceleration, mentoring, piloting, corporate matchmaking, soft-landing missions, and networking with investors. In public funded programmes, F6S often assumes the role of project coordinator, open call manager and support to third parties, and leader of communication, dissemination and exploitation.   In NICKEFFECT, F6S will lead the work package on dissemination, exploitation and guiding & standardization activities. More specifically they will be highly involved in creating a dissemination strategy, promoting awareness-raising activities and developing exploitation activities for NICKEFFECT.  ...

Read More

      SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES develops and assembles innovative machines and systems for efficient thin-film coating and surface treatment processes, which are used worldwide in the Photovoltaics, Semiconductor, Medical Technology, Packaging, Glass & Automotive as well as Battery & Hydrogen markets. The company’s core competencies include various processes of coating technology, surface treatment as well as wet-chemical and thermal production processes. The focus is: Environmental awareness Efficient use of resources Avoidance of unnecessary CO2 pollution   SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES regards sustainability as an opportunity to position itself with innovative products that follow this spirit.   In NICKEFFECT, SINGULUS as a partner from the industrial and engineering sector will actively participate in most of the project tasks, playing a key role in the upscaling of project results and in the validation tasks. They will also be actively involved in the development of the new materials, as most interested in assessing the potentialities they can bring to their products, their technical feasibility,...

Read More

Advent Technologies develops, manufactures, and assembles complete next-generation fuel cell systems, and the critical components for fuel cells in the renewable energy sector.    Advent has created highly efficient fuel cells that operate under extreme temperatures, humidity, and air quality performing in places no other energy solution can.  More importantly, Advent’s fuel cells are multi-fuel capable (hydrogen, e-methanol, e-fuels, natural gas), meaning they work on hydrogen as it comes in many different forms eliminating the need for complex hydrogen infrastructures.  Because of this, it allows our fuel cells to be placed anywhere in the world and makes it possible to decarbonize the world today.   Advent is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with offices in California, Greece, Denmark, Germany, and the Philippines.   In NICKEFFECT, Advent will lead the work package about requirements updates and test plan definition. More specifically, they will be strongly involved in updating the technical specifications for the different use cases.  ...

Read More

CEA-Liten is a major European research institute and a driving force behind the development of the sustainable energy technologies of the future. It is dedicated mainly to the energy transition. The institute is spearheading the EU’s efforts to limit dependency on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In order to meet these challenges, the Liten and its ecosystem innovate with the objective of creating value and transferring it to industry and the economic world.   In NICKEFFECT, CEA will be strongly involved in the materials' validation in relevant environments. Will also lead two tasks: (1) Qualitative chemical risk assessment, capsuling all the requirements to ensure that the health, the environmental and the goods' safety will be developed and implemented; and  (2) Strategies for recovering the used metals and reusing them in other applications. .  ...

Read More

  For more than 50 years, Ansys engineering simulation software has enabled innovators across industries to push boundaries using the predictive power of simulation.   The market-leading Ansys Granta product range has been developed over 25 years to enable you to capture, safeguard and capitalize on your organization's Material Intelligence. Drive innovation with materials, from digital transformation to Industry 4.0. Use trusted, accurate materials data to boost the accuracy of your CAD, CAE and PLM systems. Simply make smarter materials choices.   In NICKEFFECT, Ansys is an Associated Partner, and is mainly focused on work related to creating the Decision Support Tool including a sustainable by-design approach, as well as leading the task pertaining to the realisation and validation of the decision tool. ...

Read More

Matgenix offers tailored solutions to boost research and development activities in chemistry and materials science. Matgenix turns industry knowledge into actionable intelligence with approaches based on the three pillars of research and development in chemistry, materials, and processes: Artificial Intelligence, Database Consolidation and High-Throughput Simulations.   In NICKEFFECT, Matgenix will be mostly involved in materials modelling and will be the task leader of materials design using machine learning....

Read More

  Innovation in Research & Engineering Solutions (IRES), founded in 2015, is an independent consulting company, composed of chemical engineers, physicists, materials and data scientists with a mission to deliver world-class innovative solutions.   IRES provides specialised services in the fields of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS), Nanotechnology and Digitisation of Materials Characterisation, incorporating Data-driven methodologies (Machine Learning).   In collaboration with external bodies and related initiatives, IRES is part of, building upon and pushing the frontiers at new technological events, arising innovative technologies and strategic research trends.   In NICKEFFECT, IRES will be leading the task of defining and evaluating the different data sources that will be used for the decision support tool development, and also the task of risk, environmental and cost impact assessments. ...

Read More

  Elsyca was founded in 1997 as a culmination of research efforts and derives its name from 'electrochemical system calculations'. Its purpose was to leverage electrochemical knowledge through software simulation tools and dedicated expert projects.   Today, Elsyca is active in the markets of corrosion design & engineering, cathodic protection & AC mitigation, surface finishing, and electrochemical manufacturing within a variety of industries – such as oil & gas, automotive, aerospace & defense, electronics and medical.   Elsyca is capitalizing on knowledge and expertise in electrochemistry to deliver unique comprehensive multiphysics digital twin solutions.   Elsyca's solutions support industries to guarantee the integrity of their assets, gain reduction in operational costs, increase their production capacity, and get early visibility on their products' quality.   In NICKEFFECT, Elsyca will be mainly involved in the Electrodeposition process modelling, through the implementation of the software to perform finite element method (FEM) modelling making use of the Multi-Ion Transport and Reaction modelling software (MitRem)....

Read More

  Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is located in Brussels and has a great focus on Electrochemical and Surface Engineering. The team of professors, postdoctoral researchers, Ph.D. students, engineers, and economists, supported by a professional technical and administrative staff wants to contribute to the societal and technological challenges of the 21st century.  With a strong emphasis on durability and sustainability, they aim for the development of the next generation of high-performing and multifunctional metal surfaces, their production and their applications.    Some of the reasons why VUB tackles those challenges are: Some of the key mineral resources in the current economy will be exhausted in the next few years if exploited at the present rates, bringing recycling and additive manufacturing into the picture. Corrosion of metals is yearly costing approximately 1 to 5 per cent of a nation’s GNP, based on direct costs only. Renewable energy sources call for revolutionary energy storage systems.    The way VUB...

Read More

  Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) holds a leading position in the most prestigious and influential international university rankings. In recent years, this award has been favoured by the growing impact of the research, the constant improvement of the quality of teaching and the ability to attract international talent.   This progress has been decisive in going forward to leading positions among Spanish universities in the two main university rankings: the QS World University Ranking and the Times Higher Education World University Ranking.   The UAB was also one of the first Spanish universities to obtain recognition as a Campus of International Excellence.   In NICKEFFECT, UAB will be mostly involved in the development of coating materials with tuned porosity and characterisation of the ferromagnetic metallic coatings. They will be leading the tasks of coatings production at laboratory scale and model validation at laboratory scale....

Read More

Maria Lekka, the Head of Unit at CIDETEC Surface Engineering is also the NICKEFFECT project coordinator. She kindly agreed to answer a few questions to explain a bit better this 4-year project, the motivations and expectations behind it, and also the entities that will be working on it....

Read More

    CIDETEC is a key international player in research and innovation related to surface engineering and polymeric and composite materials. It specialises in processing surfaces and materials through disruptive technologies, ultimately aiming at technological transfer that will ensure the right solution for each customer. CIDETECT focuses on: Developing REACH-compliant* coatings and surfaces that provide multifunctional properties such as corrosion and wear resistance, protection against hydrogen embrittlement or fouling, electromagnetic transparency, customised aesthetics, omniphobicity and conductivity enhancement. Developing new innovative, sustainable polymeric materials based on biomass waste, self-healing elastomers, thermoplastic formulations with custom properties, and our own 3R patented technology (Reprocessable, Repairable and Recyclable thermoset composites).   CIDETEC is Spain's only technological centre specialising in Surface Engineering. Aligned with sustainability and environmental policies, it counts on state-of-the-art equipment and facilities paired with a multidisciplinary team of experts that will help accelerate the company's innovation process. In NICKEFFECT, CIDETEC is the Project Coordinator. In this role, it’s...

Read More

  Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Professor Eva Pellicer have 2 vacancies for 2 PhD students in the scope of the NICKEFFECT project. Check below for more information.   TOPIC: Nickel-based coatings with tunable porosity for energy conversion applications NICKEFFECT, a new project co-funded by the European Commission's Horizon Europe programme, aims to develop novel nickel-based coating materials to replace the scarce and costly platinum while ensuring high efficiency in key applications. A PhD position is available at the “Group of Smart Nanoengineered Materials, Nanomechanics and Nanomagnetism (Gnm3 )” of the Physics Department at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). We are looking for a highly motivated candidate of any nationality that will work on the production of nickel-based coatings with tailored porosity by electrochemical means. The coatings will be thoroughly characterized by different techniques to assess their suitability for the target application, namely water electrolysis and proton-exchange membrane fuel cell. The thesis will be carried out under joint supervision between UAB and...

Read More

  The new NICKEFFECT project – Ni-based ferromagnetic coatings with enhanced efficiency to replace Pt in energy & digital storage applications – held its kick-off meeting at the beginning of June 2022, hosted by CIDETEC, the project coordinators. The 12-partner multidisciplinary consortium team (CIDETEC, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Elsyca, IRES, ANSYS, Matgenix, CEA, Advanced Energy, Singulus Technologies, F6S and Asociación Española de Normalización) gathered for two days in San Sebastián, Spain.  The main focus of the meeting was to discuss in detail the objectives and work plan of this new 48-month project, co-funded by the European Commission. It was also a great opportunity for everyone to meet each other in person and establish a deeper personal connection.  During the first day and a half, all the partners presented the specific objectives of their Work Packages, as well as an initial plan on how and when to achieve the desired milestones and...

Read More

  NICKEFFECT, a new project co-funded by the European Commission's Horizon Europe programme, aims to develop novel ferromagnetic Ni-based coating materials to replace the scarce and costly Platinum and ensure high efficiency in key applications. Running from June 2022 until June 2026, the NICKEFFECT project is led by a consortium that is a multidisciplinary team comprised of 12 partners from 7 different EU and HEU associated countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom). It covers stakeholders of the whole project value chain: scientific and technology developers, technology providers, end-users, as well as transversal partners.   What are the main objectives of the project? NICKEFFECT will develop and bring to the market new solutions and tools for materials and process modelling, as well as for decision-making criteria to support the European industry. Among several impacts the project will create, its main objectives are to:  Synthesise ferromagnetic coating materials to replace Platinum as raw...

Read More