Hybrid nanostructured systems for sustainable energy storage

Humanity will increasingly need safe, clean and always available energy. Thus, having good energy storage systems will be more and more important in the future.

Efficient and sustainable rechargeable batteries are required to power portable electronic devices, new hybrid electric vehicles and to store electricity from renewable sources.The mission of HYNANOSTORE is the development of new environment-friendly systems based on that organic molecules which are used in the chemistry of life for the storage of chemical energy and its transformation in electrical energy.

HYNANOSTORE re-thinks the concept of battery’s electrode based on lithium insertion and propose a novel architecture in which the redox properties of bio-molecules such as enzymatic co-factors can take up and release ions reversibly in order to overcome the problems (safety, sustainability and long-term ciclability) associated with the use of conventional Li ion batteries.To achieve this, a nanostructured conductive scaffold with tailored characteristics will provide a framework to immobilize redox active molecules, extended surface area to maximize their loading, a pathway for the charge transport and a diffuse interface for the interaction with the electrolyte.

The new bio-inspired engineered system developed after the successful completion of HYNANOSTORE will offer benefits in terms of power and cyclability; an energy density of 500 W h kg-1 and the retention of at least 90% capacity after cycling 800 times are expected with the implementation of these systems.The output of the project HYNANOSTORE will be the introduction of a new concept for lithium ion batteries towards cheap, green and versatile energy storage devices.