In early April, the Jagiellonian University Faculty of Chemistry joined the efforts in developing an efficient and sustainable battery. In an agreement signed by Prof. Wojciech Macyk, Dean of the Faculty, and Arild Skaaland, Chairman of the Board of the Norwegian company NorCelLi, both parties committed to carrying out a joint research project aimed to create the Climate Neutral Battery (CNB).
The battery will be made out of renewable materials and have a low carbon footprint. While NorCelLi will be responsible mainly for securing funding, finding customers and promoting the Jagiellonian University amongst Norwegian institutions, the Kraków university will play the role of a R&D centre, focusing on science and teaching. The Jagiellonian University’s chief representative in the endeavour is Dr hab. Maciej Molenda, Prof. UJ from the JU Technology of Materials and Nanomaterial Research Group, who is also a member of the Jagiellonian University Climate Council.
Jagiellonian University researchers have more than 20 years of expertise regarding lithium-ion batteries and related technologies as well as developing sustainable materials and green chemistry. The University also has the required infrastructure, with fully equipped materials and electrochemistry laboratories. It is worth to mention that for the last three years, the Faculty of Chemistry has offered a study programme specialising in sustainable chemistry.
The technology used in the battery will be based on renewable materials, without resources such as fossil fuels and minerals exported from politically unstable areas. The aim is to increase the product’s viability and reduce carbon footprint in addition to designing a smart recycling process (Recycle to Product).
Jagiellonian University inventions could provide many potential solutions to the issue of designing a sustainable battery. The next step is finding an optimal set of components, which requires a number of expensive industrial research projects and, consequently, finding an investor who will provide funds in exchange for product licence. NorCelLi is a subsidiary of a Jagiellonian University start-up MarCelLi Adv Tech.
