Group of Research in Energy and Environment from Materials
Research and collaboration with industry on microstructured powders, bulks and coatings for applications in energy, environment, health and protective coatings
Director : Prof. Rudi CLOOTS
Email : b.vertruyen@uliege.be
Phone : +32 (0)4 366 3436
Address : Quartier Agora (B6a) Allée du 6 Août, 13 4000 LIEGE (Sart-Tilman)
Website : www.greenmat.uliege.be
Research topics :
- Oxide coatings with controlled microstructure
Deposition by wet chemical methods (e.g. spin-coating, dip-coating, ultrasonic spray pyrolysis) of materials for applications in new generation solar cells, electrochromic coatings,…
Contact information: Prof. Rudi Cloots - +32 (0)4 366 3436 - rcloots@uliege.be - Powder synthesis and microstructure control
- Spray-drying or hydrothermal synthesis of materials for applications related to energy, environment or health domains
- Top-down grinding and advanced blending technologies on a pilot scale
- Powder rheology & physico-chemical characterization
Contact information: Dr Frédéric Boschini - +32 (0)4 366 3532 - frederic.boschini@uliege.be - Crystal chemistry and polymorphism
- Solution chemistry for the synthesis of low temperature polymorphs
- Powder X-ray diffraction and characterization of functional properties
Contact information: Prof. Benedicte Vertruyen - +32 (0)4 366 3542 - b.vertruyen@uliege.be - Suspensions of powders: stabilization, granulation and coatings
- Spray-drying, slip casting, tape casting, electrophoretic deposition (EPD), etc.
- Liquid rheology & stability studies
Contact information: Dr Frédéric Boschini - +32 (0)4 366 3532 - frederic.boschini@uliege.be - Additive manufacturing (SLA) of ceramics
- Slurry preparation
- 3D printing of ceramics
- Debinding and sintering expertise
Contact information: Dr Frédéric Boschini - +32 (0)4 366 3532 - frederic.boschini@uliege.be - Li-/Na-/K-/Zn-/… ion batteries
- Synthesis of nano-/microsized powders (oxides, alloys,...) used as cathode or anode materials
- Development of formulations (suspensions and/or slurries) for the processing of layers (by spray or tape-casting) to be used as electrodes in batteries
- Battery assembly (from coin cells to pouch cells), including full solid state batteries
- Physico-chemical and electrochemical (also including in situ techniques such XRD, impedance and Raman spectroscopies) characterizations.
Contact information: Dr Frédéric Boschini - +32 (0)4 366 3532 - frederic.boschini@uliege.be
For a complete list, see website.
Exceptional facilities :
Coating deposition:
- Ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (Sonotek - Exactacoat)
Powder synthesis:
- 2 pilot-scale spray-dryers (Niro Mobile Minor - for solutions and suspensions in aqueous or non-aqueous (ATEX) feed)
- Hydrothermal reactor (Parr 4580, 5.5 liters, up to 200 bar, 500°C)
- Top-down grinding and advanced blending technologies on a pilot scale (several liters)
Ceramics additive manufacturing :
- CERAMAKER 900 (3D CERAM)
Heat treatment:
- Furnaces (up to 1500°C)
- Three-zone horizontal tubular furnace (Tmax 1200°C)
Battery assembly:
- Complete pouch Alkali-ion cell assembly line
Characterization:
- X-ray diffractometers (Bruker D8 Advance & D8 Discover Twin-Twin) with Bragg-Brentano or grazing incidence configurations, dedicated to polycrystalline powders & thin films. Options: High temperature chamber (max 1200°C) and operando battery characterization.
- Granular materials & suspensions characterization: particle size and morphology, flowability, cohesion, thixotropy, effect of relative humidity on powder behavior, carbon analyzer, ATG / DSC, BET, zeta potential, powder & liquid rheology, turbidimeter
- Coatings : Hall measurement system, solar simulator, contact angle measurement, abrasion testing
- Access to SEM (with EDX and EBSD), TEM (with tomography & EDX), AFM, Optical profilometry
- Electrochemical characterization : multichannel potentiostat/galvanostat, battery test benches (88 channels, from coin cells to pouch cells), impedance spectroscopy, Operando (in situ) XRD and Raman analysis,
- 57Fe Mossbauer spectrometer
For a complete list, see website.
Financial support programmes :
- European funding: H2020,Interreg, M-ERA.NET
- National funding : FNRS, industrial collaborations
- Regional funding: SPW (DG06)