Exploring nanocoatings in sustainable energy solutions

They are invisible to the naked eye, but have a huge impact on the materials around us: nanocoatings. These ultra-thin layers are applied to material surfaces to provide them with specific physical or chemical properties. Consider stability, anti-corrosion, reflection or electrical properties. Nanocoatings are ubiquitous in everyday applications such as chips, displays and cars. These nanocoating technologies are increasingly being used for sustainable energy solutions, such as solar cells and batteries, with the aim of improving performance and reducing raw material consumption.

Invest-NL has asked research institution TNO to conduct an initial exploration of thiskey technology. This makes it clear to investors and policymakers how nanocoatings are applied and which important innovations can play a role in the energy transition. The focus was specifically on applications in batteries, solar cells, electrolysers and fuel cells.

One technology that stands head and shoulders above the rest is Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition. This method makes it possible to apply layers with atomic precision and high speed. Invest-NL portfolio companies such as Powall (Delft-IMP) and SparkNano are intensively working on this technology. However, there are still numerous challenges within the application areas of batteries, solar cells, electrolysers and fuel cells to which Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition and other nanocoating technologies can be further tailored.

(this text was translated by A.i.)