The SPACER project, funded by the EU's Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, is a new doctoral training network focused on advancing redox flow battery technology. The initiative will train 17 Ph.D. students across 10 countries, including one at the Research Institute for Textile Chemistry and Textile Physics of the University of Innsbruck. Coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT), the project brings together 13 core institutions and 8 associated partners to drive innovation in sustainable energy storage.
The SPACER project is advancing the design of porous electrodes to enhance the power density and energy efficiency of redox flow batteries (RFBs), a key technology for affordable, long-duration energy storage. By developing tailored electrode architectures, the project aims to improve energy conversion rates, enabling higher power output and efficiency.
Electrodes are central to RFBs, providing the reaction surface for energy conversion. SPACER's approach combines multiscale modeling, advanced prototyping, and cutting-edge characterization techniques. Multiscale modeling will help researchers understand RFB behavior and identify optimal pore structures for electrolyte and electric flow. Prototypes of these structures will be fabricated using stereolithography for microscale designs, 3D printing for mesoscale designs, and textile techniques for macroscale designs. Finally, advanced imaging methods, such as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), will validate the models and assess electrode performance.
This integrated strategy will optimize electron transport in conductive paths, electrolyte flow in pore networks, and reaction interfaces on electrode surfaces, ultimately maximizing cell power output and efficiency.
Training the Next Generation of Energy Storage Experts
To meet the growing demand for sustainable energy storage, SPACER is also investing in the future of the field. Funded by the European Union's Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the project will train 17 Ph.D. students to become leaders in electrochemical energy storage.
Doctoral candidates will be hosted by leading institutions, including the University of Bayreuth (Germany), Brno University of Technology (Czechia), Chalmers University (Sweden), Technical University of Denmark, Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands), University of Chemistry and Technology Prague (Czechia), University of Padua (Italy), University of Stuttgart (Germany), Fraunhofer Institute of Chemical Technology (Germany), and University of Innsbruck (Austria). Industrial partners such as Elestor B.V. (Netherlands), Pinflow Energy Storage S.R.O. (Czechia), and Fureho AB (Sweden), along with eight associated partners from Switzerland, Australia, the United States, Germany, and Italy, will provide additional training and collaboration opportunities.
The Research Institute for Textile Chemistry and Textile Physics is currently seeking applicants to join this exciting doctoral network. Interested candidates are encourage to review the detailed job description here
