The HIDDEN project develops self-healing processes to enhance the lifetime and to increase the energy density of Li-metal batteries 50 % above the current level achievable with current Li-ion batteries. The HIDDEN consortium develops materials and their processes to functional battery layers as scalable, industry compatible, manufacturing technologies enabling sustainable energy storage technology with longer battery lifetime and higher energy storage capacity for more efficient utilization of sustainable, carbon free energy production technologies. HIDDEN will develop novel self-healing thermotropic liquid crystalline electrolytes and piezoelectric separator technologies, investigate both technologies with protective additives, and apply multiscale modelling means for electrolyte design and analysis algorithm to monitor the dendrite growth. Technologies will be upscaled from laboratory to industrial manufacturing processes, tested and finally demonstrated by assembling battery cells with battery layers and the temperature control system. The project brings together a strong interdisciplinary consortium of seven partners, industry and research balanced, with state-of-the-art background in battery chemistry and physics, materials modelling and analysis, upscaling of novel technologies by printing and coating, as well as in industrial assembling of battery cells. This is complemented by external advisory board with representation of key industry end-users.

Heart Failure (HF) and Atrial Fibrillation (AF) are both associated with impairment of cardiac mechanical function. To assist ventricular contractility in HF, left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have been developed and demonstrated able to reduce mortality in patients awaiting transplantation, but enormous disadvantages largely limit their long-term use. In parallel, promising devices to mechanically assist atrial contractile function have been successfully tested in large animals but never reached the clinical use. Our revolutionary idea to solve these clinical challenges is to exploit smart materials to support or restore the cardiac mechanical function. Among smart materials, liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are able to respond to external stimuli in a reversible manner to generate movement or tension. The REPAIR consortium has recently developed a novel LCE-based artificial muscle that under external light stimulation is able to enhance cardiac muscle contraction. These results pave the way for the development of a novel generation of cardiac assist devices. We will first develop a mechanical performant and energetically efficient LCE material that, integrated with light sources (µLED array), will result in fundamental biomimetic contractile units to be structured in a suturable, remote controlled contractile tissue. The LCE-µLEDs contractile tissue will be exploited to develop a new generation of cardiac assist devices (e.g. ventriculoplasty patches, aortic rings for diastolic counterpulsation and epicardial bundles for atrial contraction assistance) and test the effects of their acute implantation in large mammals (open-chest sacrifice experiments) and human explanted hearts. Among LCE-device features: they will be self-contracting, low weight, associated with low thromboembolic risk, and most importantly, they will rely on a control unit that can modulate the exerted force providing the fist “tunable” cardiac assist device ever developed.

The NaFEL project (Nanofilled Fluoropolymers for Enhanced Life) teams up two academic research laboratories, the first one expert in the field of macromolecular fluorinated material architectures and the other one in nanocomposite processing and characterization, a large industrial group in position of world number 1 on the market of non-stick fluoropolymer coatings at high temperatures and a technological start-up specialised in the development and the production of innovating polymers. The goal of the project is the study of new innovative composite fluoropolymers, able to resist the mechanical and thermal attacks that they undergo at the extreme temperatures reached during their use. It is known that an homogeneous dispersion of inorganic nanofillers in polymers provides reinforced mechanical resistances to them. The ambition of this project goes further. It aims at performing an introduction of the nanofillers within the inner structure itself of the fluoropolymer, in a sufficiently intimate way so as to generate new chemical bonds and thus create a composite material with an improved mechanical resistance and also a significant increase of its maximum temperature of use. The principal challenge to overpass relies on the fact that the polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) that is used for the manufacture of these coatings, for its non-stick properties and for its already good behaviour at high temperatures, is particularly chemically inert and unable to create chemical bonds, especially with inorganic nanofillers. We will focus our efforts on finding the best ways (traditional methods vs supercritical medium) to link fluorinated polymeric groups on the nanoparticles and to disperse these coated nanofillers in the polytetrafluoroethylene so that during the phase of sintering, chemical bonds are created and give an improved stiffness to the whole composite structure. Further, we will work to achieve a direct integration of the functionalized nanoparticles into the very inner core of the fluorinated polymeric chains. In addition to the direct benefits that TEFAL and Specific Polymers will gain from these works for their own activities, the success of the project will open the door to many scientific applications in the design of new molecular architectures integrating the nanocharges within the polymeric networks and thus conferring the associated reinforcement properties to them. On the technological side, the operational limit of polymers in many fields actually results from their thermal resistance weakness, the general benefit of development of nanocomposite polymers owning reinforced mechanical resistances and a higher maximal temperature of use, is extremely large and stimulating.

REFORM (pRinted Electronics FOR the circular econoMy) sets out to address the environmental and sustainability challenges around conventional surface mounted and embedded functional electronics. The project aims to accelerate and guide the development of a new European green functional electronics supply chain. It seeks to use ecodesign principles to ensure that functional electronics can be produced that meet multiple application requirements for technological performance and compliance, while also meeting societal and environmental needs for sustainability. To achieve this, REFORM will develop environmentally benign electronic ‘building blocks’ focusing on green, bio-derived adhesives, conductive inks and flexible substrates. These will be integrated into industry-led functional electronics systems and supported by innovations in conformance testing and material recovery methods. Taking a holistic approach to development across the supply chain positions, this project is unique in not only achieving a step-change in technology compatible with industrial reality, but also producing prototype showcase systems with direct future impact on sustainability. REFORM brings together a world-leading consortium of academics, non-profit RTOs, industrial associations, private SME partners and large firms from eight countries across Europe. The project is female-led and coordinated by CIDETEC, a specialist RTO in surface engineering and energy storage based in Spain with a strong track record of leading large collaborative European projects. By combining the consortium’s unique and complementary expertise, REFORM aims to give Europe an innovation lead in green functional electronics, enhancing European competitiveness, and helping meet the ambitions for the European Green Deal. The immediate outcome of REFORM will be three demonstrators: a green smart logistics tag, a green embedded wireless sensor and a microsupercapacitor, taking the project from TRL 2/3 to TRL 5.

The growing energy demand aggravated by the high dependency on non-renewable fossil fuels has severely impacted on climate change, as evidenced by Earth’s global average temperature increase in the last century. Road transport is responsible for around three quarters of transport-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thus decarbonization of this sector is necessary to achieve a climate neutrality. Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are a crucial enabler for accomplishing this target. In this frame, SOLIDBAT proposes a disruptive solid-state battery (SSB) technology to meet the challenging demands of the automotive sector. The focus is on high energy density SSB (400 Wh/kg, 1000 Wh/L) enabling fast charging, long life, and safety. To achieve these goals, SOLIDBAT entails innovation in five main areas: i) Digital tools and models for materials development and cell parameters design; ii) High capacity and water processable surface protected nickel-rich NMC cathode active material; iii) 3D-texturized high energy lithium metal anode coated with a protective artificial solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI); iv) Highly conductive and electrochemically stable hybrid gel polymer electrolyte (HGPE), crosslinked in-situ; and v) Scalable solutions for SSB technology manufacturing that are easily adaptable to current lithium-ion technology, thus hastening the introduction into the EV market. Moreover, cost, sustainability and recycling are prioritized along the whole project development, in e.g., reducing raw material use and avoiding organic solvents for greener processing. SOLIDBAT's collaborative consortium spans the whole battery value chain, fostering European innovation and industry growth. By establishing SSB manufacturing in Europe, SOLIDBAT contributes to climate-neutral energy and transport transitions, as well as avoids the dependence of battery production on Asian countries such as the current situation for Li-ion technology.