📋 Tender Overview
Grant agreement ID: 101265693
DOI
10.3030/101265693
EC signature date
18 September 2026
Start date
1 March 2027
End date
29 February 2032
Funded under
European Research Council (ERC)
Objective
Electrocatalysis underpins critical technologies for sustainable energy and environmental protection, yet conventional solid catalysts which have been used for over 100 years still face fundamental limitations including irreversible poisoning, poor selectivity and inability to adapt during operation. ALMERS will establish liquid metal (LM) electrocatalysis as a transformative platform by exploiting their unique adaptive properties such as dynamic surface reconstruction, self-healing capabilities and real-time composition tunability.
Building on the PIs recent discoveries such as near 100% Faradaic efficiency for nitrate-to-ammonia conversion, novel electrochemical CO2 reduction pathways to solid carbon and room-temperature 2D materials synthesis in liquid metals, ALMERS will systematically unlock this potential through three integrated objectives: (1) establishing fundamental understanding of adaptive multi-component LM systems and multi-site tandem catalysis, (2) developing computational frameworks with machine learning capabilities for predictive catalyst design and (3) demonstrating breakthrough performance in three critical applications.
Target achievements for the applications include >85% selectivity for CO2 electroreduction to valuable C2+ such as ethanol, >1000 h ammonia/urea production stability through self-healing electrocatalysis and >95% PFAS destruction efficiency where conventional methods fail. Advanced characterisation including scanning electrochemical cell microscopy, in situ synchrotron techniques, in situ TEM and phase-controlled studies will provide unprecedented insight into dynamic catalyst behaviour.
ALMERS will position Europe at the forefront of adaptive catalysis technology, addressing climate change through CO2 utilisation, advancing clean energy through durable e-fuel production, and protecting the environment through effective PFAS remediation thereby establishing new electrochemical capabilities impossible with conventional catalysts
