Project duration: 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2018

Objective

The objective of FREECATS NoI is to set up a network able to provide a state-of-the-art service with the scope of supporting LEs and SMEs in the development of critical raw materials free* catalysts to be employed in different fields of industry, such as chemical industry, energy, mobility, as well as environmental applications.

Examples are the substitution of traditional catalysts, based on CRMs (mainly Chromium, rare earths (REEs) and Platinum group metals (PGMs)) in fuel cells and electrolyzes, in VOCs abatement catalysts, in catalysts for industrial chemistry, fine chemicals /commodities synthesis, elastomeric and thermoplastic polymers synthesis.

The solution (technology)

FREECATS can provide two main services:

  • materials characterization by means of state-of-the-art instrumentations/infrastructures available in the labs of the network
  • development of critical raw materials free* catalysts, such as electrocatalysts free of PGMs for fuel cells and electrolyzes, VOCs abatement catalysts CRMs-free, etc

(*the term “CRMs free” should be intended as CRMs-free, with lower (i.e < 0.5 wt. % for PGMs) content of CRMs than usual or/and made of recycled CRMs)

Partnership