UU participates in two major research projects for circular batteries

Utrecht University will participate in two large-scale research projects that receive funding from the National Growth Fund programme Material Independence and Circular Batteries. Both projects focus on the development of more sustainable, affordable batteries that are less dependent on scarce raw materials than today's batteries.

NANEXBAT

The NANEXBAT project focuses on the development of sodium-ion batteries as an alternative to the dominant lithium battery. Sodium is widely available and offers the prospect of cheaper and circular batteries with a lower environmental impact. 

Within NANEXBAT, Utrecht University is making a substantive contribution to fundamental materials research. Peter Ngene and Petra de Jongh are working on solid-state electrolytes and sustainable, negative electrodes based on carbon, which are important for battery safety and performance. Within this research, UU receives funding for a PhD candidate and a postdoc. The consortium builds on previous work from the BATTERY NL consortium and is led by Mark Huijben of the University of Twente. It brings together five universities and eight industrial partners.

ADAPT-BATT

The ADAPT-BATT project aims to develop sustainable recycling routes for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. By combining LFP chemistry with advanced electrochemical processing, the project aims to enable cost-effective recovery of high-purity materials from mixed battery waste streams, supporting EU Battery Regulations and a circular battery value chain in the Netherlands.

Danny Broere from Utrecht University is closely involved in the project. He focuses on the development of molecular extractants for recovering transition metals from battery waste. The project also brings together researchers from Delft University of Technology, TNO and the University of Groningen. The academic partners work closely with the industrial partner Back to Battery.