Cidetec Surface Engineering, based in San Sebastian, Spain, is participating in two new projects funded by the European Commission focusing on new materials for hydrogen storage and the replacement of platinum. The Nickeffect project, coordinated by Cidetec Surface Engineering, aims to develop novel Ni-based ferromagnetic coating materials to replace scarce and expensive platinum with innovative, safe and sustainable materials.
The metals of the platinum group (PGM: platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium and osmium) are currently in high demand due to their unique properties, which have made them indispensable in various strategic sectors such as renewable energies (water electrolysis for the production of hydrogen), electromobility (fuel cells) and digital technologies (MRAM memory). Unfortunately, PGMs are very expensive and Europe is dependent on their import from other continents, which is nowadays a high risk for the development of strategic applications in key industrial sectors. It is therefore crucial for the EU economy to find alternatives. In this context, the Nickeffect project has identified an opportunity to replace these materials in key applications such as electrolysis electrodes, fuel cell catalysts and magneto-electronic devices.
Nickeffect will develop and validate at least three new materials, together with coating methods (including process modeling) and decision support for material selection (incorporating SSbD (Safe and Sustainable by Design) criteria and material modeling). The Nickeffect project will run from June 2022 to June 2026 and involves stakeholders from the entire project value chain: scientific and technological developers, technology providers, end users and cross-cutting partners.
