Scalable Method for Synthesis of multifunctional colloidal INKs for Superconductors

Global warming is one of the main challenges that society is currently facing. It involves a major change of the energy paradigm to drastically reduce CO2 emissions.

High Temperature Superconductivity presents a huge interest worldwide for its opportunities for cleantech energy as superconductors allow energy harvesting and transport electric power with minimal losses.

Superconducting nanocomposites in the form of coated conductors (CC) are specially interesting as generators operating at high magnetic fields.

However, the widespread use and commercialization of CC nanocomposites in large scale applications is limited by the high cost / performance ratio of existing manufacturing processes.

We developed a novel method that when combining the low-cost benefits of chemical solution deposition (CSD) processing with the ultra-fast growth rates of crystallization from liquid phases (Transient Liquid Assisted Growth-TLAG), a four times cost reduction is expected in comparison with state of the art.

The TLAG-CSD approach uses multifunctional colloidal inks (MFCI) that replaces the standard CSD inks, enabling the control of the nanoscale landscape required to improve performance. The key point is the stabilization of the nanoparticles in a highly ionic environment at high concentrations.

The innovation product of SMS-INKS is the manufacturing of robust, stable and reproducible MFCI in large quantities (several litres) by industrial processes, which will fill the existing gap in the superconducting nanocomposites Coated Conductors industry.

A new generation of MFCI will be validated by upscaling the manufacturing process, focusing on value capture and market fit, ensuring a strong IP position and preparing a development plan that can be further (co-)developed with industry.

Additionally, this MFCI technology could be easily adapted to other CSD material areas (magnetic, ferroelectric, thermoelectric).