ISCF Wave 1: (The JUICED Hub [Joint University Industry Consortium for Energy (Materials) and Devices Hub])

The proposal will develop one of the three UK energy materials hubs, which will carry out cutting edge research in close collaboration with industry in the development of materials up to demonstrator level (pre-commercial) devices. The hub will also have a major role in networking, training, educating in energy materials and devices across UK groups and industry, and will link-up and compliment existing energy related networks and groups to benefit the UK.

The "JUICED" Hub [Joint University-Industry Consortium for Energy (Materials) and Devices Hub] will focus its research on nano-enabled energy materials (ceramic materials on a scale of a billionth of a meter wide). Energy materials will be made and developed in applications, such as high performance batteries and similar energy storage devices for automotive, grid or consumer device applications, low cost materials for electrolysers (which use electrical energy to split water into oxygen and hydrogen fuel), fuel cells [devices which take chemical energy and can (sometimes) reversibly convert it to electrical energy]. Other energy materials of interest are materials which can scavenge low grade heat or energy and convert it into electrical energy or materials which can help store, transfer or regulate thermal energy.

The novelty in the hub's approach is that it will be able to considerably accelerate the development of new sustainable materials ;

(i) Use high throughput synthesis (making a large number of samples quickly in parallel or in series) and in many cases, computational methods (use of computers to simulate and understand and predict materials properties) and appropriate (rapid) screening of materials properties, which will identify lead materials in each application area

(ii) Laboratory-scale synthesis of the highest performing samples from above and testing to identify materials for larger scale syntheses

(iii) pilot scale syntheses and tests on samples on pre-commercial demonstrator devices, (in collaboration with industry or end users with a strong emphasis on replacing precious or unsustainable metals such as Pt, Ir, Ru, Pb, etc.).


How the research aligns with the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund objectives;
The proposed energy hub aligns well to the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund objectives as follows; the interactions with the industrial consortium in the hub will work with UK industry and accelerate discoveries of new advanced functional materials which will increase UK businesses' investment in R&D and improved R&D capability and capacity. The research in the hub, which covers aspects of materials, testing and characterisation as well as scale-up will lead to an increase multi- and interdisciplinary research around the challenge area of "clean and flexible energy", particularly in the design, development and manufacture of energy storage devices (batteries or similar devices) for the electrification of vehicles to support the business opportunities presented by the low carbon economy and tackle air pollution (e.g. new sustainable catalysts for oxygen evolution and reduction which can also be used in next generation batteries). Other areas that the hub covers that are which are linked to the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund include "Manufacturing and Materials of the Future" (develop new, affordable, materials for advanced manufacturing sectors). Some of these materials are important components in devices which have applications also in Satellites and space technologies. The JUICED hub includes a number of scale-up and demonstrator activities and therefore this will lead to increased business-academic engagement on innovation activities relating to the same aforementioned challenge areas. The JUICED energy hub will include a number of larger and smaller companies and it will reach out to even more potential companies in the UK (SMEs and larger companies) with its workshops which will publicise capabilities.

This project and its outcomes will undoubtedly have major impact on the following;

Society/Government Policies
The rapidly rising levels of ambient CO2 associated with the ever-increasing reliance and use of fossil fuels, is of growing concern as it drives global warming and an associated devastating impact on the global environment. In response to this concern the UK has now a legally binding target to reduce its green-house gases 1990 emission levels by 80% by 2050 and many other countries have acted similarly. The work described in this programme will create energy scavenging, conversion, storage materials and demonstrators that are not reliant on fossil fuels and that will improve the quality of life (e.g. by reducing the likelihood of "brown-outs"). The research will also offer viable routes to significantly reduce our carbon footprint and, therefore, impact on the work of policy makers and legislators. The hub will use its existing strong links to inform and respond to Government policy, e.g. via its representation on the Government's Nanotechnologies Strategy Forum. The ability to store and provide energy (on demand) in the remotest parts of the world will also be of benefit to aid organisations who are seeking to alleviate suffering in disaster-hit regions where the power grid may have been damaged.

The Economy
The UK economy will benefit thorough the design, discovery, validation and scale-up production and commercialization of new classes of inexpensive, effective and active advanced energy materials, coatings and catalysts/devices. The close collaboration of industry and academia, will lead to the development of sustainable, revenue-generating routes for the production of materials and devices related to energy, e.g. devices to generate hydrogen for grid scale energy storage or for stationary fuel cells, batteries, etc. (i.e. local) which will help to develop longer term large-scale use. Industries in the supply chain (e.g. fine chemicals suppliers, such as Thomas Swan who supply bespoke carbons) will also create and expand new applications for their materials offerings. Industry will also benefit from the hub's workshops: whilst the primary focus of the workshops will be to deliver technical and commercial information and attract potential collaborators and licensees, they will also provide networking opportunities and include technical sessions. Intellectual property (IP) from the research will be developed by the hub: once a patent has been filed, there will be opportunities for industries to develop their own modifications and/or build the active materials components into their own processes/devices, under suitable licensing arrangements.

Knowledge
As significant advances in relevant energy materials and devices and nanoscience will be delivered, methodologies for rapid production and screening will be validated and know-how created regarding the design and construction of scalable demonstrators. We will also educate researchers and students (in outreach activities) outside the consortium who will become aware of the outputs of our research. The consortium will create and run a Summer School on manufacturing to bring together researchers and students from academia and industry and educate them on the discovery and manufacturing of energy materials.

People
Through the technical expertise developed by the research team during the project (including study visits to new or existing collaborators), the training received in societal and ethical issues and the transferable skills developed in engagement with the media, the general public, policy makers and legislators.