Among the selected projects, CIC energiGUNE will participate as a partner in two strategic subprojects: ProSC (ProPEL) and ION-MAKE, aimed at addressing key challenges in energy sustainability, circular economy, and advanced energy storage technologies.
ProSC Project (Subproject within the ProPEL framework, TED2021-131641B-C44): Design and integration of conductive protein-based materials in supercapacitors for sustainable bioelectronics
The growing demand for renewable energy applications has driven the need for more efficient energy storage devices with high specific power, long cycle life, and fast charge/discharge capability. Electric double-layer capacitors are a mature technology that meets these requirements; however, when flexibility is required, the low conductivity of existing polymer electrolytes limits their application in portable bioelectronics. Consequently, intensive global research is underway to develop gel polymer electrolytes that are safer and maintain performance by combining a liquid phase with a polymer matrix.
Although natural polymers have emerged as alternatives to synthetic polymers, the use of proteins and peptides has so far been restricted to acting as spacers between graphene sheets in supercapacitors. To overcome this limitation, the ProSC project aims to (i) develop protein- and peptide-based gel electrolytes and (ii) flexible biomass-derived carbon electrodes in order to (iii) explore their use as components of electrochemical supercapacitors, paving the way for a paradigm shift in bioelectronics towards sustainable energy storage devices.
In the early stages of the coordinated project, ProSC will leverage CIC energiGUNE’s infrastructure and researchers’ expertise in experimental characterization of ionic conductive properties to identify the most promising candidates for proton conduction. These results will feed back into the other subprojects to redesign and optimize new generations of protein- and peptide-based materials. After several iterations, the most effective conductive materials will be explored as components in prototypes.
Within the specific activities of ProSC, proteins and/or peptides will be combined with biocompatible polymers or crosslinking agents to generate gel or fully solid polymer electrolytes with optimal mechanical and conductive properties. Simultaneously, carbons derived from biomass waste will be mixed with selected binders to produce flexible electrodes, which will be structured into microelectrodes on flexible polymer substrates.
Once protein-based electrolytes and carbon microelectrodes are fully fabricated and characterized, ProSC researchers will explore their integration into supercapacitor devices. As a critical parameter, the electrode–electrolyte interface will be studied and characterized by combining conventional electrochemical techniques with surface analysis techniques, correlating the results with supercapacitor performance.
In summary, ProSC aims to interconnect protein-based materials with energy storage materials to design biocompatible electronic devices. The development of lightweight and flexible portable electronic devices will be key for future advances in bioelectronic medicine and healthcare, with direct implications for the goals of the ecological and digital transition.
ION-MAKE Project (Individual project, TED2021-132090B-I00): Machine learning to manufacture electrodes: accelerating solid-state polymer electrolyte battery production with high energy density
Polymer electrolyte solid-state batteries (PE-SSBs) meet the requirements for energy density, power capability, thermal stability, and safety expected of next-generation batteries, surpassing current lithium-ion batteries and enabling global electrification of mobility. However, intensive research is still required to achieve cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable manufacturing processes for PE-SSB components that deliver optimal cell performance and meet application-specific requirements.
Reducing the time and cost of these efforts is crucial for PE-SSBs to become market-competitive, requiring a shift away from traditional trial-and-error approaches—this is the core motivation of CIC energiGUNE’s ION-MAKE project.
ION-MAKE aims to develop digital tools to accelerate electrode manufacturing for PE-SSB technologies while providing unprecedented fundamental understanding of process–structure–property relationships, leading to increased energy density and reduced costs, and enabling knowledge transfer from laboratory to production scale.
The project adopts a multidisciplinary scientific and technological approach combining (i) in-depth understanding of slurry mixing, coating, drying, and calendering conditions to systematically manufacture cathodes and full PE-SSBs; (ii) state-of-the-art electrochemical characterization of components and cells; and (iii) machine learning (ML) algorithms to guide and accelerate optimization of these processes.
ION-MAKE contributes to both digital and ecological transitions. By applying ML-based digital technologies from artificial intelligence, the project accelerates key development steps in PE-SSB manufacturing. The resulting ML algorithms and knowledge will serve as a strong digitalization component in battery research, dramatically reducing discovery and innovation timelines. This will strengthen the Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation by providing science and industry with ML-based digital tools to reduce PE-SSB manufacturing time and cost.
From an ecological perspective, rapid market implementation of PE-SSBs is essential to promote electromobility and reduce CO₂ emissions. Accordingly, the project aligns with the Green Deal and Fit for 55 initiatives and supports the long-term objectives of the Recovery and Resilience Plans.
